Bittersweet Company
by God Boy's Girl
Summary: They met by chance, both looking for hope in something they both knew they could never have. Neither of them expected something completely different when they sat to gaze at the stars, enveloped in their thoughts. Then, he spoke. HinataxItachi. Rating may change in the future.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi, I'm back!

I'm still working on Festival of Fortune, but for now, I'm also going to work on this one. This is a part of the Ultimate Fanfic Challenge 200 Prompts. The Prompt I'm using for this is "Bittersweet". As the title says, it won't be super happy all the time.

So, without making you wait any further, you can read! Except the Disclaimer. That'll slow you down some.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Her tears had fallen for so long and so hard that the taste and smell of salt were the only physical senses she could feel anymore. She had long since disregarded the moderate hum of the hospital room, or the beeping of the heart monitor. She could no longer see the sights around her, and her crystal eyes were almost invisible under the haze of her tears. With how red her eyes had turned, it was difficult not to believe she had contracted some sort of terrible disease.

Alas, she was merely recovering from the terrible injuries she had received from the late Pein, whom she had learned the fate of almost a full day ago. At the same time, however, she was recovering from something much more devastating.

Hinata found herself wallowing in her own sorrow because of injuries sustained to her heart. After finally gathering up her courage, and deciding upon her own feelings, she had confessed her love to Naruto and put everything she had on the line for him—including her life—only to find out that he hadn't even tried to visit her while she had been in a coma. She felt a fresh batch of tears burning her eyes as she let her mind linger on it.

What had she done wrong? Why wasn't she enough? She wanted Naruto to complete his goal to find Sasuke and bring him home—which, apparently, was where he was now—but why couldn't he just spare her a glance? That was all she asked for. She just wanted him to give her some kind of clue that she had a chance.

She knew that that was a hopeless fantasy now, though. Naruto would never see what he meant to her, and she could admit that to herself. Or, at least, she could grow to admit that to herself. She laid back down on the hospital bed, wincing at her wounds, and stared up at the ceiling through clouded eyes. She didn't like the idea of trying to give up on her first true love, but now she couldn't see him focusing on anything other than the retrieval of Sasuke. _I guess I just need to accept what Kiba and Shino have been trying to tell me after all . . ._

And with that, Hinata closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off, mind buzzing with unanswered questions.

* * *

Four days later, Hinata found herself wandering outside of what was left of the Hyuuga compound. She was still a sight for sore eyes with her bandages, but she wasn't in as much pain as she had been. Of course, with the village trying to rebuild and the multiple injuries so many other shinobi had sustained, she wasn't the worst looking one out there. It wasn't like she particularly cared, but she was a little relieved when she wasn't spared disgusted glances she didn't feel that she deserved.

She sighed, only to stiffen as she heard footsteps approaching. She spun around immediately, almost dizzying herself. She relaxed as she realized it was only Neji, and offered him a nervous smile. "H-hi."

"Hey," he replied calmly, looking his cousin over. "Still recovering, I see."

"Y-you don't look much b-better," she answered sheepishly, gesturing to the man's own bandages. He nodded, looking out at the ruin that had befallen Konohagakure. Even from their back yard, the damage seemed imminent.

"I can't believe so much damage was caused by so few people," he frowned, before looking at Hinata. "Your teammates came by to see you earlier. I sent them away because I thought you wanted to recover a little more. I heard some unsettling noises during the evening as I passed your room. Hinabi-sama seems to have noticed it as well. It sounded like . . . Crying."

Hinata looked away from her cousin quickly. "It's nothing."

Neji sighed a little at her sudden sharpness, even though it was subtle. "I understand . . . I may not know what happened, but I will not press it."

"T-thank you, Neji-kun."

Neji nodded, offering his cousin a slight smile. "You're welcome," he stated, turning on his heel. "You know, sometimes a walk can help ease the mind."

With that, the older shinobi walked off towards the compound, which Hinata guessed meant the pain medication was kicking in and he wanted a rest.

She watched him go until he was completely gone before turning back to look at the wasteland that had once been glorious. She felt her demeanor sour again, but this time it was for a different reason; Hinata wanted to see her home be returned to its former beauty. She knew it was possible, and she was going to help it reach its glory.

Maybe it would help her return to hers.

It was growing dark now, though, she realized, and she partially wanted to go on the walk Neji had suggested, but she would have to wait until tomorrow.

Hinata decided that she would make her way out for a walk in the morning, and headed off to get some rest before her 'adventure'.

* * *

Morning came a lot earlier for Hinata than she had expected. She found herself wide awake before the sun had even risen. She laid in bed for a little while, debating whether she actually wanted to be up so early, but realized that she would just delve into her own thoughts if she did, and she didn't particularly want to go there.

She sat up in bed, deciding that just going ahead and getting up would be her wisest choice. She stretched as much as she could with her injuries before wandering over to pick out some clothing to wear. It was bound to be cool out, so she reached for her coat and a pair of slacks, as well as a more shielding pair of sandals. She grabbed her shinobi pouch just in case, then slipped quietly out of her room. She made her way silently through the house until she reached the door, then headed out with the clearly trained stealth of a ninja.

Finally sure that no one was going to bother her, she began to walk at a normal pace as she passed through the gate that led to the Hyuuga compound. She closed it behind her, heading towards where the gates had been mostly rebuilt. She offered the guard a small smile and nod as she passed through the gate, rousing no suspicion because she had been out occasionally before to train at night, and since it was closer to morning, she guessed they figured she was just out for some earlier recovery.

She made her way into the more wooded area, allowing her feet to wander on trails that weren't used that often. She let her mind explore some, letting the scenery around her bring her some sort of calmness. She smiled a little, feeling more relieved than she had in a while.

She found herself wandering towards a spot that she hadn't visited in a long time. It was a small part of the forest that had been forgotten about. Once set up for what she assumed was a wedding ceremony was a large trellis that had long since been covered in floral vines, and a kiosk-like structure that provided weary wanderers shade. She smiled at the sight of it, as well as the slight running water of a koi pond that was nearby; she remembered it well from the days she'd ventured here for some peace after a few times of nearly running into Naruto. The place offered her some much needed tranquility.

She strode over to the side of the pond, her eyes lighting up as she realized the koi fish were still alive—albeit bigger than the last time she had seen them. She smiled to herself, making a mental note to bring some fish food for them soon.

She looked around the area, memories of younger, more innocent days fluttering through her mind. For the first time since she'd woken from her coma, she felt some sentiment of happiness.

She turned her focus to the trellis, spotting clear spot against it. She walked over and took a seat in front of it, leaning back to rest against the wood. She looked up at the sky as the stars danced above her, sighing softly. It couldn't have been later than three in the morning with the position of the moon, she guessed.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Hinata jumped a little—the voice had come out of nowhere, but more importantly, it sounded like it was right next to her head. She went to stand, hand already on her weapon's pouch, but she was stopped as the voice spoke again.

"Please don't get up. I don't intend any harm."

Hinata frowned, still stiffened as she argued with herself over what she should do. Why listen to someone when their voice didn't sound like anyone she knew? When she couldn't even sense their presence?

Still, the voice had a very soothing tone to it, and she forced herself to swallow enough of her nervousness to speak.

"W-who are you?"

She heard a sigh, as well as a slight shift. "Please don't ask that, either."

Hinata felt her brow furrow. This person—who was obviously a man, because no woman she had ever met had had such a manly voice—was making no sense. Why would they speak up when they were clearly masking their presence and then suddenly ask that she not wonder who they were?

"W-why?"

"Because it's not something that is important," the stranger replied with a weary tone to his voice. She frowned, and after a few minutes of silence and stillness, she realized that this person really did mean no harm. If they did, she knew they could have murdered her without speaking a word. So, she apprehensively leaned back against the trellis and stared back at the stars.

"Why are you out so late?" the voice asked again after a good solid silence. Hinata flinched in surprise at the sudden break in the stillness.

"I-I . . . I needed to c-clear my head," she responded quietly, frowning a little as she thought back to her troubles.

She heard a soft 'hmph', and turned a little as the trellis shifted some.

"Don't look at me," the person stated sharply, and Hinata turned away almost immediately. Well, at least she'd located the stranger—apparently they were sitting directly behind her, sitting in the same position she was. She was tempted to use her Byakugan to see if she could tell who it was, but decided against it. So far, this person had been no threat, and she didn't feel like straining her eyes when it was unnecessary. Hinata frowned, staring up at the moon. Finally, she shifted.

"W-why are y-you out here?"

Her question was met with stoic silence for a few minutes, before she finally got an answer. "Why do you ask?"

Hinata felt her face begin to flush in embarrassment. Still, she had answered his question, so she felt hers deserved an answer as well.

"B-because you asked me, and I answered . . . I w-was just c-curious, t-too."

An almost inaudible chuckle didn't escape Hinata's ears.

"I'm out here because I needed to clear my head, too," he replied quietly, an undertone of sorrow in his voice as well. "I wasn't expecting company."

Hinata smiled some. "Neither w-was I."

"You stammer quite a bit, don't you?"

She felt her face flush again. She wasn't used to people flat out mentioning her stutter, mainly because those who had in the past realized it made her more self conscious, and more prone to do it. "Y-yes."

"It's okay," they replied quietly, before lapsing into silence again. "I'm sorry to have disturbed your walk."

"N-no, I'm sorry t-that I walked out on you w-while you were resting."

"It's fine. The change of company is nice," they sighed. "I like coming here. I do occasionally, but I've never run into anyone."

Hinata frowned. "Y-you sound like you d-don't want to b-be found."

"I don't, but you're okay," they replied, and she heard the figure shift and stand. "I don't mind, as long as you can keep my coming here a secret. I'm not supposed to be here, so I could get into a lot of trouble."

Hinata resisted the urge to turn around and look at the figure she'd been speaking to for however long it had been. It appeared as though the sun would rise in an hour or so, though, so she assumed the person was trying to leave soon. "A-as long as y-you don't threaten t-the village, I'm o-okay with it."

"I never intended to harm the village," they replied. "I must go now . . . Goodbye."

And with that, Hinata's companion disappeared. She could hear the footsteps fading as she sat there, watching the sun begin to rise.

On her way back home, Hinata's brain was buzzing with a lot more questions. She wanted to know who that person had been, why there had been so much secrecy, and why their voice had been enough to persuade her to not even look at them. By the time she got home, she had thought through it enough times to nearly forget what she was concentrating on. However, as she collapsed on her bed, more exhausted than she remembered being when she'd woken up, she fell asleep easier than she had since she'd been in her coma.

* * *

There you go! I'm done with the first chapter. :) I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think, please! It helps keep me motivated.

I also apologize if there is any OOCness. It'll be explained why later on.

Thanks!

Shebby


	2. Are You There?

A/N: Hey guys! Here's chapter two! Thank you for all of the faves! Please remember to review, though! I'd really like to know what you think and what I could improve on.

I apologize if there's any OOCness in this chapter. I'm trying to keep everyone in character as much as possible. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Hinata didn't find herself waking up again until almost ten and felt a little embarrassed at how much she had slept. She was glad there wasn't a mission or she'd have been scolded on how she should have been more productive before their departure. She smiled as she thought of Kurenai trying to lecture while Kiba tried to make funny faces behind her in order to distract Hinata from getting upset. Of course, when he did this he usually got caught, which ended up being funnier whether Hinata admitted it or not. Shino always seemed silently amused.

She got up and frowned as she realized she was still wearing the clothes she'd been out walking in, and they were still partially damp from the morning dew. She sighed, returning to her closet and pulling out a new set of clothing before leaving her room to go take a shower. She hoped the maids would take care of her sheets, but realized it was a little silly to think that they wouldn't. Pushing the thought aside, she started up her shower and began to scrub herself clean before someone else tried to come reclaim the bathroom.

Hinata made her way out of the room after getting dressed and brushing her hair, deciding that she wanted to get some more fresh air. She wandered outside, waving to a few people who were helping to rebuild. She wanted to help so badly, but she had been warned not to do anything too strenuous for another few days. She sighed, a little bored. Before long, she found herself making her way past Naruto's house, offering the structure a sad sigh. She was hoping to see him return soon, hopefully with Sasuke, but she had no clue how long that would take. Still, she was hoping a little distance would do her some good.

She headed off towards the training fields, her spirits lifting as she saw Kiba and Akamaru practicing in the field. Picking up her pace a little bit, she made her way to a clear spot on the field, taking a seat as she watched the pair jump around and practice their moves. She smiled as Akamaru jumped at Kiba, toppling the man over in a fit of delighted barks and laughter. Hinata was about to call out to them when Akamaru suddenly raised his head, looking directly at her. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he bolted at her, slowing down only as he came within a feet or two. He trotted the rest of the way, nuzzling his giant head into her chest. Hinata scratched his fur, happy for the attention.

"Hinata! You're out in regular clothes!" Kiba grinned, making his way over to her. "Doesn't look like your shoulders have ever seen the sun!"

Hinata felt her face redden. It was true, she hadn't been able to find her coat because of washing day at the house, but she was sure that it wasn't that big of a deal for her to be out in a regular tank-top. "I-I . . . These w-were the only c-clothes . . ."

"Don't be so shy, Hinata," Kiba smiled. "It's just me! You know I'm only messin' with ya."

Hinata felt her face darken a little more. She knew Kiba knew how to get her to blush in a kind way, and she had been trying for so long not to let him get to her. She smiled back up at him. "I, um . . . I know," she said, still patting Akamaru's head. "I didn't expect you to b-be out training already."

Kiba grinned in pride. "Well, ya know, I got all my building work for today done early, and I wanted to be in top shape if those bastards ever come around again! Can't have an Inuzuka down for too long!"

Akamaru barked in agreement, his tail wagging fiercely. Hinata giggled a little. "T-that's good. W-will you train with m-me when I get permission to do so?"

"Of course!" Kiba grinned. "Team Eight won't be the same if you're not in good shape, too, Hinata."

"W-what about S-Shino?"

"Ah, he's fine. Helping rebuild the Aburame area, y'know?" he stated with a shrug. He stretched before looking at Hinata a little more seriously. "So, you been all right since waking up?"

Hinata nodded, frowning a bit. "I'm o-okay. Just adjusting to how Konoha looks now."

Kiba smiled, trying to pretend he hadn't noticed her glumness. "Why don't we go get something to eat, huh? I'll pay!" he said cheerfully, tapping Akamaru to pull his attention away from the girl. Akamaru jumped to his side, tail still wagging.

Hinata offered Kiba a smile. "Food sounds nice," she replied eagerly, walking with the man towards the more populated part of the village before trying to decide what they wanted to eat.

Once they had finished their meal, as well as some extra chatter, Hinata and Kiba parted ways. Kiba had been excited because he was going to train and spar with Hana, something he rarely got to do anymore.

He had offered her a ring-side seat, but Hinata had decided on something different to do. She had set a new goal, which was to go and find some food for the poor koi fish. She made her way through the streets, looking for a pet store. It wasn't long before she found herself entering the door of the store Kiba usually bought Akamaru food for when he wasn't eating half of whatever the dog ninja had. Hinata smiled at the thought as she waved to the owner shyly, scuffling her way over to the fish section.

After marveling at the beauty of the fish in their tanks, she picked out some nice koi food and walked over to pay, offering a goodbye to the owner before making her way out of the store, pleased with herself. She sighed contentedly as she made her way home, her thoughts rather peaceful compared to how they had been the past few days. She knew her lunch with Kiba had helped, and thoughts of going back to the peaceful place she had visited earlier in the morning had been nice, too. She smiled to herself as she wondered if the company she had had would be there again.

She sighed a little. It was silly to think that he would be there—it wouldn't surprise her if he'd been freaked out and would never show his face again, or if she'd embarrassed herself by being so trustful of a stranger—but she couldn't help but hope that maybe he was. She set the idea aside and made up her mind that the main reason she was going was to feed the fish.

As she made her way back into the house, she tried to avoid running into anyone. A few maids passed her, but only offered her polite greetings. She returned them in kind, only to rush into her room as soon as the opportunity was there. She smiled lightly, setting the fish food on the counter. She planned to go for her walk, but she didn't feel like going quite yet.

She wanted to wait until the stars came out again; she really enjoyed staring at them.

* * *

The trees and sounds of a sleeping forest were the only things that accompanied him through the blackness of the late evening, although it was hardly a bad thing. Most of the time, silence was what he preferred. If there ever came a time when he wanted anything more, all he had to do was go home and sit in the kitchen for ten minutes, and he'd be sated for a year.

Still, he found an extra reason to be going out this evening. After sliding out of the building he'd grown accustomed to calling home, he'd begun travelling. Of course, tonight wasn't the first time that he'd been out, and especially with this place in mind, but he had a slim hope in his mind that he wouldn't be alone. It was a silly wish—he'd probably scared his company off by refusing to answer some of her questions—but he could hope. Usually, company was an issue to him, but this time someone trusted him enough to listen to what he was asking them to do. In all fairness, they didn't exactly know who he was, but the feeling was nice.

It had been so long since someone had trusted him blindly. Even Kisame had taken a while before he had begun to trust him.

So, Itachi made his way through the forest, intent on seeing if his hopes would be for nothing.

He had been going to that part of the forest for a while now, carefully masking his chakra so he wouldn't be noticed. It was only a few hours run before he would arrive each night, and it was usually a nice, calm run. It did wonders to ease his headaches and stressed mind, but returning to the same spot was a sobering reminder for him, but a sad one.

As he began to arrive at the location, he slowed down. He didn't want to exhaust himself, and he was looking forward to just staring up at the stars—his new favorite way to spend his time, it seemed. He sighed, coming to the clearing. He froze almost immediately.

There, seated next to the koi pond that he had been maintaining for a while now, was a person. He recognized the chakra signature from before, but this time he was at a loss. Yes, he had partially hoped that she would be back, but he hadn't actually thought she would be. Now he had no clue what to do.

It was obvious that she didn't know that he was there. He made sure his chakra was still well masked before sliding silently into the same position he'd been in with their first encounter. He breathed in deeply, releasing it silently as he listened to the girl that was standing mere feet away from him. He closed his eyes, trying to think of what he'd seen of her.

She wasn't a big girl. She was slender, but her shadow betrayed a bit of a curvy build. She had long hair, although the color was lost on him due to the darkness. Other than that, he wasn't entirely sure about her appearance. He looked up at the sky, stiffening as he felt the trellis shift. His eyes widened, but he relaxed as he realized that the girl was indirectly leaning against his back again.

"A . . . Are you t-there?"

Itachi's his lips twitch in a light smirk. He remained silent for a moment, listening as she sighed softly, almost in disappointment from what he could tell. He heard her mutter something to herself, but he couldn't make out what she had said. So, he figured she deserved a little honesty.

"Yes."

The trellis moved again as she jumped, clearly surprised at the sudden voice. She had to take a deep breath to try and slow her heart down. She resisted the urge to look behind her, but she really didn't have a clue what she should say now. Yes, she had asked about his presence, but she had felt so stupid for even thinking he would be there—especially since she hadn't even seen him upon arrival.

"Were you waiting for me?"

Hinata jumped again, although less fiercely. She hesitated, unsure of how to answer him. Finally, she decided she could be vaguely honest.

"K-kind of . . . I d-didn't know if y-you would b-be here, b-but I . . . I t-thought I would w-wait just in c-case . . ."

Itachi was a little uncomfortable with how content he was with the answer to his question. She had waited for him?

He quickly shook the thought from his head. This wasn't fair—she had no idea who he was. He couldn't get his hopes about it.

Hinata fidgeted with her fingers, growing more and more nervous as she waited for some sort of response. As the moments stretched on, the silence started to become unbearable. Finally, she decided she needed to speak up again, or her nerves were going to make her faint if he spoke again. It was worse that she couldn't even see his face.

"H-how long have y-you b-been here?"

Itachi snapped out of his thoughts as she spoke again. Deciding he'd kept her waiting for too long for any sort of response, he answered her.

"I got here after you did. I wasn't here for too long before you sat down."

Hinata felt her face flush. He had shown up after her? That meant that she hadn't even noticed his arrival. She frowned some. She was letting her guard down because of comfort and her injuries. She knew she should have been more careful, but it was difficult when she was surrounded by evening silence and company with the smoothest voice she'd ever heard.

Realizing how long she'd been lost in her thoughts, she blushed a little deeper. She opened her mouth to speak, trying her best not to stutter.

"Were, um . . . W-were you w-waiting . . . F-for me?"

Itachi allowed a smirk to grace his lips. "I had a feeling that you might be here. It didn't deter me from coming."

Hinata smiled softly at the idea. Well, at least she hadn't frightened him off. She turned her gaze back up to the stars, mesmerized by the few that she could see drifting between the clouds. She and her companion sat in comfortable silence, both in their own thoughts and enjoying the feeling of the person sitting directly behind them.

They sat there for a good while, before Itachi turned his head a little, catching sight of dark hair behind the trellis. He looked away as she shifted, focusing at some unseen object before him. He sighed softly.

"So, what were you trying to clear your head about yesterday?"

Hinata stiffened a little at the question, unsure of how she should answer. She doubted that the man was interested in her personal story about Naruto. She sighed a little. "I, um . . . T-there was a f-friend of mine . . . And I-I, um . . ."

Hinata quieted down as she struggled to find the words to answer his question properly. Itachi felt a frown begin to form on his face. She actually sounded very uncomfortable—he hadn't meant to cause such an unpleasant reaction.

"You don't have to tell me. I was just curious."

Hinata felt a wave of relief wash over her. "T-thank you."

They fell silent again, Hinata wanting to know the same answer Itachi had just tried to get out of her. She knew she had no right to ask him what had been bothering him, though. Especially if she couldn't even say what was wrong.

"You shouldn't stress so much about little things."

Hinata jumped a little. "I w-wasn't . . ."

"It's okay," he replied, leaning his head back against the trellis. Hinata frowned as the clouds began to thicken, covering almost all of the stars. She could point out two, but they seemed to be the only ones out anymore. It looked like it was going to rain before long.

"Looks like rain."

Hinata nodded absentmindedly. "I w-was just t-thinking that."

Itachi smirked. "I see."

Hinata turned her head a little, the side of her forehead leaning against the trellis. "C-can I, um . . . Ask y-you a q-question?"

Itachi hesitated for a moment, before turning his head a little, noticing the outline of a nose through the gaps in the structure he was leaning against. He smiled almost unnoticeably. "Yes."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata gathered her courage to speak again.

"W-why can't I look at you? It's a l-little difficult t-to t-talk like t-this."

Itachi let out a light sigh. "It's nothing to do with you," he stated. "I told you that I'm not supposed to be here. I don't want to alarm you."

Hinata knew that his statement alone should have set off alarms in her head, but she didn't really care. This was the most comfortable she'd felt around anyone other than her teammates, and even then she hadn't come _that_ close to telling them what had been bothering her lately. She looked down at her toes stretched out before her—or rather, their shadows, considering the clouds had covered the moon—and smiled. It was okay that she couldn't see him. She could live with that, but . . . Well there was one issue she was having.

"C-can I at l-least k-know your n-name?"

Itachi frowned. "I can't tell you that, either . . . And I won't ask yours, because it wouldn't be fair," he said quietly. He hesitated, before adding, "Maybe we could call each other nicknames."

Hinata giggled a little at the idea. "Like, u-um . . . C-code names?"

"Something like that," he replied, feeling almost like a little kid. He couldn't explain the sudden bout of partial giddiness that entered his chest despite the fact that he thought he'd lost that feeling when he'd lost his clan. He glanced back at the outline of the girl's nose. He smirked. "I want to call you Shizuka Girl."

Hinata felt her face redden again. Shizuka girl? She knew she was shy, but didn't quite realize she'd come off that badly to this man. Still, being called a shy girl was a better nickname than a lot of her enemies gave her. She smiled, before stopping to think about what she would call him. Finally, she decided on it.

"I l-like it. I would l-like to call y-you N-Nazo," she said, smiling softly to herself. Yes, shadow seemed to fit him quite well, considering all she could see of him was a small part of his silhouette.

Itachi smirked. "Nazo, hmm? I think I can live with that."

Hinata smiled a little wider at his response, only to frown again as a cold raindrop landed square on her forehead. She heard a disgruntled huff behind her as a similar problem attacked Itachi. The latter sighed. "I guess we should get back before it starts raining too bad."

"Y-yeah," Hinata muttered, getting to her feet. She turned to bid farewell, only to catch herself. She heard a light chuckle behind her.

"Goodnight, Shizuka Girl," he said with a smirk, turning to leave for himself.

"G-good night, Nazo-kun," she said with a light giggle. She waited until she heard the rustle of trees before turning around to gaze at the spot where he'd been sitting. She wanted to know so much more about this person. She hadn't felt so excited about meeting someone in her life.

She was broken out of her thoughts as the rain began to fall a little harder; a crack of lightning illuminating the area telling her that she needed to go. She turned and ran through the trees as fast as her healing injuries would allow, eager to dry off.

From the trees across the clearing, Itachi watched the girl with interest, eyes widening as the lightning offered him a short glance of what she looked like a little better. Dark, long hair and fair skin with a covering outfit told him that his mental picture wasn't too far off. He smiled lightly to himself. Even though he wasn't used to wanting to be around people, he knew it wouldn't be long until he was back trying to see if his Shizuka Girl was waiting for him again.

* * *

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Let me know what you think, please!

And in case anyone was wondering:

Shizuka = Shy

Nazo = Shadow

Thanks!  
Shebby


	3. Way too close

A/N: I'm back! With a quicker update this time, it seems. :) I want to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter! It definitely helped my motivation for writing this chapter! Please keep it up, and let me know if you have any suggestions or constructive criticism. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Hinata had gotten home before the rain had become too harsh, quickly taking a shower and changing her bandages before laying down to sleep, her mind full of thoughts about "her" Nazo man.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt refreshed and happy. She tried not to attribute it all to her new friend, but she already knew better—it wasn't like she was complaining, though. She got up and changed into a pair of fresh clothing, feeling a little relieved as she found her coat clean and wearable. She quickly made her way out of the room, heading towards the exit door of the compound when a voice startled her to a stop.

"Hinata."

She took in a deep breath and turned around, smiling nervously at her father. She held her hands at her side, fighting off the urge to immediately start fiddling with her fingers. She had been scolded before about it, and didn't feel like going through that again. So, she looked at the solemn face of Hiashi Hyuuga.

"Y-yes, F-father?"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed slightly, although his mouth didn't falter from its straight line other than to speak.

"Where are you going?"

Trying not to shudder at his coldness, she responded, "I-I have a d-doctor's appointment today . . . I w-was going to g-go get my injuries c-checked."

Hiashi stared at his eldest daughter for a long moment, easily realizing how uncomfortable she was before him. Finally seeming satisfied with her response, he nodded. "Very well. Don't be late. The village needs an extra pair of hands to work to rebuild, no matter how weak."

Hinata frowned at the jab, lowering her head as her father turned, not noticing her reaction. She sighed softly as she turned to leave, pushing the door open with less enthusiasm than she had just a moment ago.

She was happy to get off of her clan's property and head towards the hospital, trying to forget what her father had said. She knew she wouldn't, but looking at the sight of how much had already been done for the village today lifted her spirits some.

When she finally made it to the hospital, she waited for her nurse to come to her. She sat in the waiting room, telling the nurse to leave the door open until it was time for her to change. She tried to tell herself that it was because she wanted to see how urgent the hospital was today—which didn't seem too bad to her relief—but knew it was because she wanted to see if Sakura was here, which would mean Naruto was back, too. She offered the nurse a strain smile as she came back and shut the door, beginning to examine Hinata's injuries once everything had been prepared.

With a minor set of healing jutsu being performed to heal the last of her wounds, Hinata walked away from the hospital soon after with no bandages. She smiled, stretching out the spots that had been sore earlier. It felt good to be able to move normally, and had been told she was allowed to use her chakra again at a normal rate as long as she didn't go overboard.

So, she did what she thought was best; Hinata made her way to the Hokage tower.

She was greeted upon arrival, Shizune happy to see the Hyuuga up and moving around normally. She had noticed the girl seemed sad the past few days when she'd spotted her in the village. The woman smiled at Hinata, carrying Tonton with her to Tsunade's office, opening it without knocking.

The blonde Hokage looked up from her desk, scowling at her assistant.

"If you have more paperwork, I'm throwing the pig out the window this time."

Shizune's look of horror disappeared after a moment as she straightened herself, but her mild glare at the Hokage didn't go unnoticed by Hinata. The older woman cleared her voice.

"No, Tsunade-sama, you have a guest."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. She could only see Shizune at the moment. She was going to make good on her threat if this was a trap. "Who is it?"

Shizune turned to Hinata, gesturing for her to go ahead and go inside. Hinata nodded nervously, not quite sure how to go about it with the Hokage in such an obvious bad mood. She bowed to the blonde.

"G-good m-morning, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade's eyes softened some at the sight of the shy Hyuuga. Although she couldn't admit it, she was always happy to see the girl. Especially when she wasn't half dead. She smiled at the girl.

"Hello, Hinata."

Hinata offered the woman a smile in return, before the Hokage motioned for Shizune to go ahead and go. Shizune bowed and exited, leaving the two to themselves. Tsunade turned her attention back to the Hyuuga, nodding to her.

"Is there something you needed, Hinata?"

"I w-was hoping y-you would assign me s-somewhere to help rebuild the v-village. I-I got a good r-report from the hospital," she said with a smile, eagerly waiting for a response as she shoved her father's comment to the back of her head.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the girl's request, before nodding. "All right, let me see what all needs help."

The woman reached into her desk to pull out some paper, eyeing what appeared to be some sort of diagram for the village. After scrutinizing it, she looked at Hinata with a smile. "How about you help rebuild some of the shops in the shopping district? You can help team ten, since your team is busy with their own districts."

Hinata nodded, a little uncomfortable with the idea of working with Ino. She didn't mind working with Shikamaru and Choji, but Ino was always a little . . . Overbearing. She didn't want to show this in front of the Hokage, however, and offered her some thanks before getting her location and heading off to locate the squad she would be assisting.

When she finally arrived, she found an interesting scene before her. Shikamaru was spread out on top of a few pieces of wood staring at the sky while Choji sat beside him and snacked on some chips. Ino was scolding them both about being more productive while she sat across from them, clearly flustered. Hinata breathed in nervously as she approached them, trying to gather the nerve to speak.

"U-um, h-hi."

Ino's head snapped in the direction of the shy girl, about to shout something, before pausing as she realized who it was. She smiled warmly at the girl.

"Hinata! What are you doing out here? I thought you were stuck at home."

Hinata smiled back awkwardly. "I-I got a g-good report f-from the hospital," she replied quickly. "T-Tsunade-sama said I-I could help y-you guys r-rebuild."

Ino smiled. "Finally! Someone who wants to work!" she said, shooting Shikamaru and Choji a pointed look. She turned her focus back to Hinata. "I've been trying for an hour to get these guys to help!"

"Damn it, Ino. We were just trying to take a break. All of this extra work is troublesome," Shikamaru complained. "It's pointless, anyway. You just want everything to be rebuilt here so you can shop again."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with a girl wanting to get a few extra outfits!" Ino retorted, before looking at Hinata. "You agree with me, right, Hinata?"

Hinata felt her face redden a little at the sudden focus on her again. "I-I, um . . . N-no, a n-new outfit is n-nice s-sometimes."

Ino glared back at Shikamaru. "See? Now, you've been resting long enough! Get up and get to work!"

"If you keep yelling at him," Choji said, taking another bite out of a chip, "You'll never get him to work."

"Yeah right! If I _don't _yell at him, he'll never work, either!" Ino growled, before tossing Hinata and exasperated look. "Help me, Hinata!"

Hinata flinched some, only to make her way a little closer, looking at Shikamaru. "U-um, if we go ahead a-and get s-started, we c-can be d-done sooner, and w-we won't n-need a b-break . . ."

Shikamaru stared up at Hinata, making the girl's face flush a little as she started to poke her fingers together. He sighed, sitting up. "Fine . . . Just so Hinata doesn't have to deal with Ino yelling at her, too."

Choji frowned a little, but nodded. "Yeah, I guess so . . ."

Hinata offered the men some thanks before the small group began to work on rebuilding some of the shops, Ino relieved at finally getting some help.

* * *

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong, Itachi-san?"

Itachi resisted the urge to Tsukuyomi his partner. While the idea seemed useful after being asked half a dozen times if he was okay, he knew it would be pointless.

Since Itachi and Kisame had been sent on their latest mission—to pick up supplies for the Akatsuki base, as it was, which Itachi found demeaning but a nice change of pace—Itachi had found himself lost in his thoughts on more than one occasion. While it was true that he was normally silent, it wasn't true that when Itachi went into one of his thoughtful moods, he was found smirking a lot. So, in light of this new change of behavior, Kisame had taken it upon himself to decide that his partner had finally lost his mind for good.

Thus, the repeated questioning of, "Are you _sure_ there's nothing wrong, Itachi-san?"

Which, in turn, resulted in the repeated answer of, "Yes, Kisame, I am fine."

Itachi turned to his partner, coming to a halt as he did so. Kisame slowed up a little, stopping only when he realized that Itachi wasn't moving anymore. The shark-like shinobi stared down at his partner curiously. "Why are we stopping?"

"Because I'm tired of you asking me if I'm okay," Itachi replied sharply, staring up at the man evenly. "I am _fine_, Kisame. While I appreciate the concern, I just have a few things going through my head is all."

Kisame eyed him suspiciously for a moment, before nodding. "I understand, Itachi-san," he stated seriously. "It's just that for a little while, you were acting pretty down for you, and now you seem to be back to your regular self—if not happier."

Itachi sighed a little. "Yes, well, it's a private matter. Nothing is wrong."

Kisame stared at him once more for a good few moments, before turning. "If you say so, Itachi-san."

Itachi resisted the urge to roll his eyes—he was too mature, and deadly, to do that—and took off towards the base again, Kisame trailing alongside him. The steady _thump_ of their feet was the only noise that accompanied them for the rest of their journey, and by noon they had arrived back at the base. Itachi put everything where it belonged, turning to head to his room when he stopped at the sight of the stoic female of their organization. He looked at her curiously. It wasn't like her to be out and about so often. She and Pein shared their own kitchen upstairs, so coming down here was unusual.

Konan looked at Itachi evenly. "Did you get everything?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

Konan walked over to the fridge and began to sort through it for items. "Good. Pein-sama has no missions for you at the moment. You and Kisame are free to do as you please. We don't expect any missions for another day or two, but keep an ear out just in case. We don't want any shinobi going missing in the middle of the night and not returning," she said shortly, gathering up her items and turning towards the exit of the kitchen. "Do in your free time what you will, but let it cause no inconvenience to us."

With that, the kunoichi left. Itachi watched her go, a little unsettled at the fact that her comment had more or less said she knew he'd been going out. He'd have to be a little more cautious. He didn't want his little Shizuka Girl to get mixed up in something she didn't need to worry about.

He paused. _His_ Shizuka Girl? He frowned a little. He couldn't believe he'd thought that way. He sighed. It still wasn't fair for the girl that she didn't really know who he was, but the secrecy of it made their situation a little more alluring. In all fairness, he didn't know who she was, either. Of course, he'd thought about this quite a few times throughout the day, drifting off when times evened out to think about it. He smirked a little. What could it hurt?

Besides, he rather liked the idea of showing up as "Nazo", eager to see if his Shizuka Girl was in a happier mood again. He was still curious as to why she had been in such a sour mood when they first met, but knew he would have to be more tactful if he wanted to ask her again. Then again, he also knew he didn't have much of a right to ask her if he didn't intend to tell her what had been wrong with him.

Itachi turned and made his way back towards his room, listening to the silence that befell the base. Since the deaths of some of his other teammates—Deidara and Hidan, to be specific—everything had grown significantly quieter. Itachi didn't necessarily miss his old teammates, but he did know that things weren't quite the same since they weren't around. Kakuzu, even, had made a difference in his time here. He pushed the thought aside, opening the door to his room. It wasn't like they were friends.

Akatsuki members weren't supposed to have friends.

Still, he found the girl he planned to go see later was becoming dangerously close to that description, but he didn't intend to stop it.

* * *

Hinata waved goodbye to the team ten trio as she left the few newly built shops. She had been surprised at how quickly they'd managed to work once Shikamaru and Choji had gotten a little motivation, and was happy with the work they had gotten done. She was proud of herself, too, for not slowing them down and actually having a few suggestions that would make their job easier.

Now, though, Hinata was eager to get back home and change, hoping to get to speak to her Nazo-kun. She felt far stronger about the likelihood of him being there again tonight than she had the day before, and almost felt giddy about getting to go meet with him again. It almost felt a little forbidden—they _were_ sneaking around in the middle of the night, sort of, and she knew her father would kill her if he knew it was a boy she was going to see—but she knew she would keep going as long as he kept showing up.

Hinata felt her heart skip a beat as she turned a corner towards the district, excitement seeping even further into her. Again, though, she felt it begin to draw away from her as she spotted Neji leaving the compound. He spotted her almost immediately, and she could see the grim demeanor on his face. She had a bad feeling already.

"Hinata-sama," he stated once he came close enough to her. She nodded to him.

"Neji-kun."

"Hiashi-sama has asked that you, Hinabi, and I be at the table for dinner this evening," he said seriously. Hinata could see the unhappiness in the man's features. Hinata never enjoyed dining with her family—it was always too tense and seemed like more of a business meeting than anything else.

Hinata suppressed a sigh and nodded to her cousin, offering him a kind smile. It wasn't his fault that they were going to have dinner with her father, so she knew she shouldn't treat him like it was. Of course, she knew that if she did, it wouldn't have even been that insulting.

Neji turned, making his way back towards the compound as Hinata began to walk, lost in her thoughts. She wasn't excited about having to dine with her family—she'd hoped she could be heading out to her new favorite spot before the scheduled time for dinner. She quickly made her way to take another shower, cleaning all of the building debris off of her. She relaxed as much as she could during her free time, before heading down the hall towards the dining room, her nervousness settling in full time.

Seeing that everyone had already arrived, Hinata quickly shuffled to her seat, sitting down as gracefully as she could. The setting in the room was icy, making her hands shake some. She offered her father and sister an uncomfortable smile, tossing Neji a more genuine one. He nodded in return, while the other two remained fairly stoic.

Hinata felt bad for her sister. She knew that her father had focused more attention on his more 'promising' daughter, which meant Hinabi was unlikely to have a normal childhood—even during her days at the academy. Hinata had occasionally seen some boys trying to talk to Hinabi, and Hinabi had almost seemed like she wanted to talk back, but the boys' parents would pull them away before she could. It was well known throughout the village that the Hyuuga leader didn't want his youngest daughter to turn out like his eldest.

"How did your hospital report go, Hinata?" Hiashi asked Hinata stonily. Hinata flinched a little, knowing that the question wasn't out of kindness.

"I-I got a good one. I-I was able t-to help w-with the r-rebuilding today."

"Good," Hiashi stated, staring at her as the servants brought their drinks out and told them dinner would arrive soon. Hiashi turned his focus away from the uncomfortable Hyuuga once the servants were gone, and shifted it to Hinabi, beginning to converse with her about her lessons and her daily routines.

Hinata was relieved at the quickness of their conversation, but was saddened as well. She often wondered what it would have been like to have a normal family, but knew it was unlikely that she would ever know. So, she paid attention to her food as it was brought out and ate with the practiced precision of an heiress.

The meal ended an hour or so later, and Hinata waited patiently but eagerly for this uncomfortable situation to be over. Hiashi was still speaking with Hinabi after their dinner was finished, and it was a good half an hour or so before everything was finally dismissed. Hinata was pretty sure that Neji had never moved so quickly in his life to get out of a room. Hiashi departed quickly, and Hinata began to make her way towards her room when Hinabi spoke up.

"Onee-chan?"

Hinata looked back at her little sister with a light smile. "Yes, Imouto?"

Hinabi smiled back at her sister a little more relaxed. She was more comfortable when their father wasn't around, too. "Are your injuries doing well? You said you got a good report, but that doesn't mean that you are feeling too much better."

"T-they're doing g-good. The m-medical ninja healed t-the rest of t-them," Hinata replied, turning around fully to face her sister. She didn't get to talk to Hinabi too often like this.

"That's good to hear. I know Father didn't ask too much about them," Hinabi commented, a little bit of sadness in her eyes.

Hinata's brow furrowed. "H-Hinabi, y-you don't h-have to worry about h-how Father t-treats me. I-I'm just h-happy t-that he spends time with y-you. D-don't worry about me."

Hinabi looked at her for a few stretched moments, before finally nodding. "Okay, Onee-chan. I should be off to bed, then . . . I have to go to class in the morning."

Hinata smiled at her, before walking over and giving her a hug. They weren't allowed to do such things as much anymore now that they were older, but she tried to sneak one in once in a while when no one was looking. Hinabi was surprised, but hugged her back, before releasing her and heading off towards her room to get some sleep.

Hinata watched her little sister go until she was gone, then turned and headed back to her own room to change into a different set of clothes .Once she had changed and she decided everyone was asleep, she grabbed her bag of koi food and quickly left the compound.

* * *

Hinata found herself arriving at the clearing a little after one in the morning. She leaned over to toss some fish food in for the koi, watching with contentment as the sight of the swirls the fish made in the moonlit water. She could see the light reflecting off of their scales and smiled. She really did love looking at the koi fish.

Still, she found her attention for them was a little shortened this time. She turned her focus towards the vine-covered trellis, trying to see if she could spot any unusual shapes on the other side of it. She smiled as she spotted an outlined bulk that didn't look like any kind of plant. She made her way over, trying to avert her eyes so she didn't catch too much of the man's appearance—she had to maintain her promise, after all.

She leaned against the trellis behind where the man sat, and smiled a little.

"H-how long have you b-been out h-here, N-Nazo-kun?"

She felt the trellis jolt, and squeaked a little in response. Her eyes widened as the figure shifted. Silence followed for a few moments, before a groggy answer reached her ears.

"Shizuka Girl?"

Hinata stifled a giggle. "Y-yes. A-are you okay?"

Itachi grunted a little, sitting up a little straighter. When the hell had he fallen asleep? And when had his Shizuka Girl shown up? He blinked a few times to try and focus his eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine. I suppose I fell asleep at some point waiting on you."

Hinata blushed a little. "I'm s-sorry you had to wait so long."

Itachi smirked some, stretching out his stiff muscles. "It's fine. I didn't mind, but I didn't expect to fall asleep. Was everything okay?"

"Y-yes. I h-had some family m-matters to attend t-to," she replied, her tone a little sadder. She quickly snapped out of it. "D-did y-you have a g-good d-day?"

Itachi's eyes widened some. He hadn't expected such blatant small talk. "I suppose my day wasn't too bad. Yours?"

"I-it was g-good. I g-got to help r-rebuild s-some of the v-village."

Itachi frowned. Right, Konoha was still in a lot of shambles at the moment. "I see. Well, at least it's getting back together."

"Y-yeah. Everyone's w-working so h-hard."

"I imagine," he replied calmly. "It's good to hear that you're mostly cheerful again, though."

Hinata's face flushed again. "Y-yeah . . . I g-guess I am . . . I l-like c-coming out h-here."

"Me too," Itachi replied calmly, closing his eyes some. "I look forward to it during the day."

Hinata couldn't help but smile, and was happy that she wasn't the only one who looked forward to meeting the silhouette of a person late in the evening. "I-I'm glad."

"Good," Itachi smirked, happy with her response. He could tell that she was starting to relax a little more when she came out to visit, and couldn't help but feel a little prideful about it. He leaned his head to the side to catch a glimpse of her again, only to find that she wasn't looking his way. I could see the outline of her hair.

"Shizuka Girl?"

"Y-yes?"

"Why do you listen to what I ask you to do?"

Hinata's brow furrowed. "W-what do you m-mean?"

"Well, you haven't looked at me since I asked you not to, and I can't really see a reason for you to not have tried."

Hinata smiled to herself. "Y-you asked me n-not to. I-it would b-be a b-breach of t-trust if I d-did. I-it's not th-that I'm not c-curious, t-though."

Itachi nodded, satisfied with her answer. "I didn't think people like you existed anymore."

"I t-try to b-be as honest as p-possible."

"I can tell. You seem like a very kindhearted person."

"Y-you do, t-too."

Itachi suppressed the urge to scoff. He couldn't remember the last time someone had made a comment like that in a serious way. "Thank you."

"S-so, c-can I ask you a q-question?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"W-why do you c-choose this p-place to come?"

Itachi paused to think for a moment, debating whether or not to answer the question. He knew it wouldn't be too fair if he kept avoiding her question.

"A long time ago, a marriage took place in this clearing. It was the marriage between my mother and my father," he stated honestly. "While I wasn't around when this wedding took place, my mother often spoke of it fondly. I ventured out here one day and was shocked when I found it. Of course, not many couples got to get married here, but it looks like it's been a long time since anyone has. My sibling and I would come here occasionally to play when we were younger, but those were happier times. I come here sometimes to relive those memories, as a reminder of things that once were."

Hinata frowned some. She hadn't expected such an intimate answer, but was happy that he had shared with her. "I-I see. I-I'm sorry that it's s-such a s-sad reminder."

"It's all right," Itachi stated. "Can I ask you why you come here?"

Hinata smiled some. "W-well, a l-long time ago, m-my parents g-got married here, too, actually. My m-mother brought m-me here and told me t-that when I got m-married, I would p-probably be wed h-here. I u-used to come h-here as a l-little girl t-to daydream about it. I w-would also p-play w-with the fish. A-after M-mother passed away and I e-entered the a-academy, I c-came here less and lless, until I stopped c-coming at all. I c-came here the other n-night w-without actually intending t-to."

Smiling to himself, he nodded. "I see. That's an interesting coincidence," he stated thoughtfully.

Hinata blushed lightly. "I-I suppose it i-is."

Itachi smirked, before glancing over at the kiosk structure thoughtfully. He stood up, startling Hinata a little.

"A-are you l-leaving already?"

"No, I think I want to go sit inside of the kiosk."

Hinata frowned a little. If he was going in there, he probably didn't want her to go, too, since if she sat, she'd most likely end up seeing his full outline, which was more than she'd seen thus far. "O-oh."

Smirking at her unsure response, he stopped at the front of the kiosk. "You can join me if you'd like."

Hinata smiled at his comment, ignoring the blush that spread to her ears and down her neck. She stood up as well, brushing herself off before heading to the kiosk. It shaded some of the area surrounding it from the moon, so Hinata watched her footsteps carefully. Of course, she quickly learned that she'd focused on her feet too hard when she slammed headfirst into the front of her waiting "Nazo".

Immediately her blush darkened and seeped down her neck faster than it had before. Her eyes widened significantly, stepping back quickly. "I-I'm sorry!"

She heard a light chuckle. "It's okay," he smirked, turning to go inside and take a seat on one of the built-in wooden benches. Hinata's blush didn't fade as she walked into the kiosk, taking a seat as well.

"Comfortable?" Itachi asked curiously. Hinata jumped as she realized one very important fact:

Itachi was sitting directly next to her.

She immediately got up to move, and stiffened when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"You're alright if you want to stay there."

Hinata hesitated for a moment, before making up her mind. She sat back down, poking her fingers together habitually. It wasn't that she was scared, but she wasn't used to sitting next to 'strangers'. Plus, after he made such a big deal about not looking at him, this seemed like a sudden change. Still, she couldn't help but feel the excitement that welled up inside of her. She bit her lip, not sure what to say now.

"I'm glad that you don't mind my company, Shizuka Girl."

Hinata didn't fight the smile that spread on her face. "I-I'm glad y-you like m-mine, t-too . . ."

Itachi looked out in the open spaces between the beams that held up the roof of the kiosk, genuinely happy at the moment. He sat with Hinata for a good while in silence, listening to the steadiness of her breathing and the sounds of the evening animals that surrounded them. He was content, feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time.

Then a certain Hyuuga heiress's head lolled onto his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment, looking down at his shoulder. He waited for a good moment before he realized that she was sleeping. He smirked a little to himself. She was really that comfortable with him?

He sat there with her for another hour or two, listening to her steady breathing. He only moved when she twitched little and almost fell off him. He situated her a little more comfortably, allowing her to sleep on him for a while longer. He was too comfortable at the moment to wake her up. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a female come this close to him, trusting him this much. He sighed softly.

He was getting way too close to this girl, and they'd only known each other for three days. Plus, she _still_ didn't know who he really was.

He felt his muscles beginning to get a little stiff, reluctantly causing him to decide that it was about time for them to part ways again. He cautiously shook her, waking her up gently.

Hinata's eyes opened lazily, unsure of why she was being woken up. Her brain started to focus again, though, and it wasn't long before she realized just where she was—and who she was with.

She sat up almost immediately, her face burning like fire. "I-I fell a-asleep? I'm sorry!"

Itachi chuckled again. "It's all right. You didn't drool or anything," he smirked, before standing. "I only woke you because I needed to go home again, so don't worry."

Hinata looked down towards her feet shyly. "T-thank you . . . U-um, I g-guess I need to g-go, too."

Itachi nodded, stretching some before turning back to his companion. "I look forward to seeing you again, Shizuka Girl."

Hinata smiled. "A-as do I, N-Nazo-kun. G-goodnight."

"Good night," Itachi smiled, before stepping out of the kiosk. He was gone a few moments later.

Hinata stood up and stretched. She couldn't believe that she had fallen asleep on the man. Her face still burned like fire, but her heart was beating insanely fast.

She turned and left the kiosk as well, almost positive that she would have a difficult time going back to sleep when she got home.

* * *

A/N:

So, that's the end of the chapter! Let me know what you think!

Thanks!

Shebby


	4. But, Why?

A/N: Hey, it's me again. Sorry I didn't update sooner; there's been a ton of stuff going on in my life. I broke up with my boyfriend, quit my job, and now I have a new boyfriend and a new job, haha. Plus I finished my original book! So hooray!

Anyway, here's the new chapter, and I want to thank everyone who reviewed! The reviews help fuel my drive to write, honestly. :) Sorry this one's a little shorter than the others. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Itachi stared out at what he could see of the village through the window of his room. While the people that passed by were unable to see him, he could make out their shapes through the rain that drizzled outside and ran down the glass.

His thoughts were clouded like the weather, and thus he felt comforted by the similarities of both. He sighed softly to himself, closing his eyes in hope of his headache subsiding some. Thus far, he'd woken up, been exceedingly tired due to a difficult time going to sleep, and now had a migraine. He frowned. He knew that staying up as late as he was and going for such a long trip was bad for him both mentally and physically, yet with his new 'friend', he found that he had no interest in stopping his visits to Konohagakure.

Itachi Uchiha was venturing into very dangerous territory, and he knew it. He knew he was looking forward to visiting again tonight, and he also knew _why_. That particular reason's scent still lingered on the shoulder of his shirt, and he would catch a small hint of its lingering presence. He could still almost feel her weight on him, and frowned. He hadn't had someone that close to him in years. Especially a woman.

A woman that smelled very nice.

He shuddered a little, standing up. He needed to go take his mind off of all of this. Leaving his room and disregarding the fact that it was raining and he would be at a disadvantage, Itachi went to go find Kisame with all intentions of sparring.

xXxXxXxX

Hinata was excited. She was nervous, which was apparent by the way she kept twiddling her fingers, but she was excited. A red tint had lit up her face, and she found that she couldn't stop her heart from slamming against her ribcage. There was only one thing that was causing this reaction, and it had happened moments earlier.

"So, I heard that Naruto is back in the village," Kiba grinned, looking at his teammates. "Heard he got back in the village last night with Sakura. I guess they don't have Sasuke, but it's good to know that the dweeb is home."

"I heard they were forced to return," Shino stated quietly. "I doubt Naruto would have returned of his own free will."

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he yawned. "I wonder if he'll be out and about today or whining about Sasuke."

Hinata listened to their conversation eagerly, but her thoughts drifted off after a few moments. She felt a little scared—she _had_ confessed to Naruto the last time she had seen him—and eager to see the blonde again. _Maybe Naruto just had to leave and that was why I never got an answer . . ._

She held onto the thought, hope filling her heart. Maybe she was right—maybe Naruto really _did _care and she had a chance, but Sasuke had been so close that he had had to go after him. She smiled shyly to herself.

Therefore, Hinata left the training ground she had been spending time with her friends at and began to wander through the village, wondering if maybe she would run into a certain blonde shinobi.

It was after noon before Hinata found the man she had been mildly searching for. She had sat down for some lunch at Ichiraku, her mind distant as she ate before a loud noise next to her startled her out of her thoughts.

"Hinata-chan!"

The Hyuuga jumped in shock, her head swiveling around dangerously to the source of the outburst, her face reddening immensely as she saw Naruto. She smiled nervously, feeling her head growing light.

"N-Naruto-kun, h-hi."

Naruto's face was lit up and he had a giant grin spread across his face. "I didn't know you liked ramen!" he stated eagerly as a bowl was set in front of him without question. He grinned at the man he'd harassed for years before turning back to Hinata. "What's up?"

Hinata felt her hands shaking in anxiety, although forced herself not to start playing with her fingers. "I-I w-was out f-for l-lunch. H-how a-are you?"

She glanced over at him curiously as he began to ramble on about how he was great, but frustrated about Sasuke's lack of appearance. He spoke with his normal enthusiasm, but Hinata found it difficult to focus on everything he said. She had one thing that she wanted desperately to hear, but so far Naruto hadn't made any type of conversation about it. He spoke for about ten minutes, explaining everything that had happened while he was gone, and Hinata waited eagerly for him to mention her confession.

But, when Naruto finished his speech, he just smiled at Hinata. "How are you?"

Hinata blushed a little. "I-I'm g-good. I-I finally got t-to l-leave the h-hospital a-and h-help r-rebuild t-the village."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "Hospital? Are you okay, Hinata?"

Hinata looked at him with a puzzled expression. Shoving down the sudden uncomfortable feeling she'd gotten, she forced a smile. "Y-yes. T-they said I w-wasn't in g-good shape a-after the attack on K-Konoha."

Naruto sighed, looking away. "Yeah, uh, I can see the village is still in shambles from it. I wish I could have been here to help it, but I had to go . . . I'm glad you're doing okay now, though, Hinata."

Hinata felt her heart sink a little. "Y-yeah."

Naruto grinned. "Oh! Guess what?"

Hinata's eyes widened hopefully, looking at the man curiously. "Y-yes?"

"I finally got Sakura to agree to go out with me!" he laughed, pride evident on his face as he began to eat his noodles. "It took some convincing and some con-artist kinda stuff, but I finally got it to work!"

When Naruto didn't hear any response, he turned to look at Hinata, only to find an empty seat. His brow furrowed in clueless confusion, but shrugged. Maybe Hinata had just remembered she had something she'd needed to do.

xXxXxXx

Tears fell freely down the Hyuuga's face, her eyes long since swollen. She sobbed, her brain and heart full of turmoil. She had known better, and she had still walked into it. She had promised herself that she would just give up, but yet she had still tried to see if Naruto would reciprocate her feelings. She had been so stupid! And now, here she was, sitting in the gazebo of hers and her Nazo-kun's hiding place, bawling her eyes out over something she had tried to avoid before.

She was heartbroken. Naruto didn't even remember her confession, and even worse, she felt like his dating Sakura was just a slap in the face. She felt a fresh batch of tears hit her at the thought, and she cried harder, her body shaking as she pulled her coat tighter around her. She laid down across the bench she was seated on, not wanting to let anyone see her like this if they happened to come across her.

She felt like such an idiot.

xXxXxXx

Itachi glanced up at the stars as he ran, a frown seeping into his features some. He wasn't entirely sure why, but ever since he had left the base, it seemed like the stars had dulled in their shine. He wasn't sure what made him think this, but he didn't like it. The stars were supposed to be something that gave people hope, but when even they didn't find a reason to sparkle, how was he supposed to enjoy looking at them?

He sighed lightly, focusing on his path again. He jumped from one branch to another, landing expertly each time he reached his next target. Once his destination came into view, he stopped, pulling off his cloak and setting it on the branch he had deemed okay to put it on. This place was sacred, and the Akatsuki had no right to enter it. He was coming here as an Uchiha of the village, not a threat, and he wanted to make sure the Akatsuki knew that.

Even if it was just the cloak that knew, but still.

Itachi jumped out of the tree and into the clearing gracefully, but almost immediately sensed that something was wrong. Not letting his guard down, he sunk into the darker shadows of the evening. The air felt stressful, and he could sense another presence. After a moment, however, he realized who the presence was and relaxed. He made his way over to the lattice, but quickly realized that she wasn't there. He turned his attention to the gazebo, raising an eyebrow.

Making his way quietly through the entrance, he waited silently for a response to his arrival. All he could hear was steady breathing. Squinting in the dark, he realized that the figure was lying down.

She was asleep.

His brows furrowed in confusion, but he tried not to startle her. He walked over to the side of the bench closest to her and sat down, looking down at her sleeping figure. The moonlight offered him enough light to actually be able to see her better. He could see a few of her features a little clearer, including how soft her features were, albeit they were troubled. He knew the full moon would be tomorrow, but it was unlikely that she would be asleep again, so he would have to take in as much as he could see of her now. Her dark eyelashes were long and swept upwards. Her lips were turned down in a small frown, and her brow betrayed stress. He frowned. She looked like she'd fallen asleep crying.

He sighed, looking out of the gazebo and listening to the sounds of the nightlife. He sat there in silence for an hour or so before the being next to him stirred. He moved slowly and purposefully, looking down at her as she began to open her eyes.

xXxXxXx

Hinata woke up a little, her head pounding from crying so hard for so long. At first she thought she was at home in her own bed, but as her senses finally began to catch up to her, she began to feel the wood beneath her and smell fresh air. She released a soft groan, opening her eyes.

The first thing she realized was that she was laying down inside of the gazebo. At first, she was confused, but as she began to wake up even more, her memories began to return to her. She sighed, sitting up. Then, the second thing she'd failed to notice made itself known.

Her head snapped to the side as she discovered she wasn't alone, but a few moments later she recognized the presence. Taking in the sight of the man—or, what she could see of him—she smiled softly.

"N-Nazo-kun."

"Hello, Shizuka Girl," Itachi replied calmly, looking her over. "How are you feeling?"

Hinata felt her face heat up a little. "I-I'm okay . . . H-how long h-have you b-been out h-here?"

Itachi smiled a little bit. "Only a little while. I didn't want to wake you."

Hinata nodded. From what she could see of the man before her, he was handsome, and his hair was dark. Her blush darkened. "T-thank you."

"It's no problem. What had you so upset?"

Hinata's eyes widened. "W-what do you m-mean?"

Itachi smirked a little. She was really going to try and pretend that something hadn't been bothering her? "You passed out here, which seems very uncharacteristic of you. Also, your expression as you slept made me believe that someone has had a rough day."

Hinata's face flushed some as she quickly downcast her eyes. "I-it was n-nothing . . . J-just a long d-day."

Itachi frowned some. She really did seem to be sensitive about the subject. He turned, leaning back against the wall. "Does it have to do with why you were out here that first night?" he asked, his tone softer this time. He heard Hinata exhale heavily.

"Y-yes."

Itachi nodded a little to himself, but remained silent this time. He didn't want to push her any further if she wasn't comfortable with talking about it. After a few minutes had passed, he opted to break the silence. "How have you been, otherwise?"

Hinata smiled softly. He wasn't going to push her, and she doubted that he knew how much that meant to her. She looked over at him, taking in his silhouette. "I-I've been w-well. Y-you?"

"Good," Itachi replied calmly. "I have been finding some extra time here and there to train."

"So, y-you're a shinobi, then?"

Itachi smirked. "Yes, but you already knew that."

"Y-yes," Hinata giggled. "B-but I didn't w-want to m-make assumptions."

"How noble of you," Itachi stated with a little bit of a smirk on his face. "So, what would you like to talk about, Shizuka Girl?"

Hinata's face reddened again, but she tried to ignore it. She glanced out at the dimly lit scenery before her. After a few stretched moments, she settled on a question and took a deep breath."Why do you k-keep coming b-back here?"

Itachi's eyes widened a little towards the question. He remained silent for a few minutes, weighing his options as far as what kind of answer he wanted to give her. After what felt like forever, he turned to look at the girl. "Because I enjoy your company."

"O-oh," Hinata replied, her face reddening. She wasn't sure what answer she had expected from him, but that wasn't one of them. She smiled softly. "I see."

"What about yourself?"

Hinata slipped down her seat a little. "U-um, b-because . . . Because I also enjoy your c-company . . ."

The blue-haired girl jumped lightly when she felt a warm hand rest on her side and pull her up a little further in her seat and a bit closer to her company.

"I'm glad," Itachi replied, disregarding her jolted movement. He sighed. "I don't like that I can't visit you during the day."

Hinata was a little surprised at the sudden statement. "W-why?"

"Well, I feel a little awkward sometimes having to meet this way and it must be terribly inconvenient for you to have to come out here every evening."

"N-not really," Hinata stated, smiling. "W-why can't we meet during the d-day?"

"Because I can't think of somewhere we could go . . . As well as the fact that I can't really let anyone else see me. As much as I would like to tell you my real name and learn yours, and to let you see me, I don't believe you would wish to meet up with me again if I did."

Hinata's brow furrowed a little. "Wh-why is that?"

"Well," Itachi stated, confused as to why he was saying such things but finding that he was unable to stop. "I'm not a very good person. I have done terrible things that I can't take back, although they were not entirely my fault. As you are currently, I hope, my friend, I wish not to alienate you with information."

Hinata looked down at the outline of her hands, twiddling her fingers. "W-well, it c-can't have been too bad. Y-you seem very n-nice and t-things that are in your p-past should not b-be a reason to b-be judgmental. I'm sure t-that what you d-did was d-done for a reason."

Itachi smiled softly. He wondered if she would have the same thought if she actually knew who he was.

"Maybe we'll get to know each other's names soon."

Hinata smiled absently. "M-maybe."

Itachi nodded. "I suppose that'll be determined in the future, then. I am sorry I'm so vague."

"We're in a shinobi world," Hinata smiled. "V-vague is n-normal."

"This is true," Itachi stated, before looking out ahead of himself. "What if . . . Our next night is held further out in the woods? I could create a campfire."

Hinata smiled softly. "I think t-that would be n-nice. I-I'll bring some f-food."

"That sounds good," Itachi replied, before getting to his feet. Hinata climbed to hers as well, getting ready to stretch before she froze at the feeling of something pressing against her cheek for a second before leaving. It took her a moment to realize it had been a pair of lips.

"Thank you for not pushing me, Shizuka Girl. I appreciate it," Itachi said seriously.

"Y-you're welcome, Nazo-kun," Hinata replied, her face burning like fire. She was glad he couldn't see her. She turned. "G-good night."

"Good night," Itachi replied before both shinobi left to go back to their homes, multiple thoughts running through each one's head.

* * *

A/N: There you go! Let me know what you think, please! :)


	5. A Candle Lit Path

A/N: Hey guys!

I'm so sorry this has taken so long. I had half of this chapter written and then my laptop caught on fire, haha. Soooo, I got a new laptop for Christmas, totally forgot what I originally wrote, and so I had to start completely from scratch. Anyway, a lot of really random, bad things have happened since the last time I updated, but some good things, too, including the fact that I moved from one state to another, haha. So, while I adjust to my new life here, I figured adding some fanfic writing to it may help. :)

I also want to thank all of my reviewers (even though I was called a dork, haha. ;)), and I appreciate them so much! They give me so much motivation!

Please let me know what you think, and again, I apologize for any possible OOCness. I'm trying to keep everyone as true to their characters as I can.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

"Goodbye, e-everyone!" Hinata beamed, waving at her friends as she began to head towards her home.

"Are you sure you have to go, Hinata? I mean, you _were_ keeping Ino quiet, you know, so you can stay."

"Hey! Shut up, Shikamaru," Ino huffed, crossing her arms pitifully. She stared at Hinata. "You really don't have to go, though! I mean, we could go shopping!"

Hinata turned, smiling awkwardly at her friends. She hated being put on the spot like this.

"M-maybe later. I have p-plans, so I n-need to get ready," she said shyly, trying to escape while she still could. She immediately regretted her choice of words, however, when Ino's expression turned from desperate to sly.

"_Plans, _huh? Does Hinata have a _date_?"

Hinata could feel her face beginning to heat up and willed for it to cool off again. She didn't want this to get out of hand. "N-no! Not at all, I j-just . . . I have to go!"

Attempting to escape, the Hyuuga turned and hightailed it. Sure, she understood that trying to run from a ninja was a little redundant, but she was always willing to hope.

Ino caught up to her before she was even halfway to her compound. Hinata looked at the blonde nervously, praying that the girl would leave her alone. She smiled awkwardly, trying to fool the woman. "Y-yes, Ino?"

"No way are you going to escape me, Hinata!" Ino grinned. "Now, tell me about this date!"

Again, Hinata's face turned beet red. "I-it's not a date!"

"Liar," Ino stated, sticking her tongue out at the girl. "Come on! You totally have to tell me. This is a big deal, Hinata! No one's ever seen you on a date, and it's so good to see you branching out from stupid ol' Naruto!"

The statement stung a little, and Hinata realized how obvious her love for Naruto must have been. Setting it aside, she shook her head at Ino. "It's not a date, though. I . . . I just have a f-friend."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "Oh, just a friend, _huh_? All right, well, if it's no one special, then tell me what his name is."

Hinata's blush darkened. "T-that's not any of your business!"

"So it _is_ a he! Ha! So, again, who is it?"

Hinata was beginning to grow frustrated, but her kindness wouldn't allow her to just ignore the blonde. Debating on her answer, the Hyuuga finally sighed. "I can't tell you . . . I p-promised him I wouldn't."

Ino's eyes almost appeared to sparkle. "Oh! I totally understand! I won't say a word!" she winked, before looking Hinata over. "So, are you guys meeting up today?"

"Er, something like t-that," Hinata gulped, not quite liking where this was going.

"Right! Well, we definitely can't have you going to meet someone _special_ dressed like that!" she smiled, and before Hinata knew it, she was being dragged down toward the few shops that were open.

* * *

"Itachi-san. Itachi-san. _Itachi-san_."

Itachi continued to walk ahead of the shark-like shinobi, praying that the man would just leave him alone. He was beginning to miss the days where the man was just plain terrified of him-or so it seemed, he could have been hoping that was the case-and would just walk in silence. He was getting awfully used to just bugging the Uchiha.

"Itachi-san."

Stopping and turning towards his partner, Itachi fixed the man with a harsh glare. "What is it, Kisame?"

Kisame smiled awkwardly. "Well, I was going to tell you that we're, uh . . . Well, we're kinda going in the wrong direction."

Itachi stared at him as if he were stupid for a moment-although, he did so with all of the grace of an Uchiha, because Uchiha's did _not_ have stupid looks on their faces-before he turned and looked at their surroundings. For a moment, he was dumbfounded. He had not come down this path in years, but he immediately knew the direction that they were headed in. He was certainly glad Kisame was not as familiar with the outskirts of the Land of Fire as he was.

However, Itachi _did_ know how to get to the base from here, and therefore could make himself look less stupid, because he would not give Kisame a chance to tease him. Whatever pride he had left would not allow it.

"We are _not_ going in the wrong direction," Itachi stated seriously. "We're taking a different route. If we use the same route home every time, someone is bound to eventually come across our trail."

Kisame eyed the back of Itachi's head skeptically as the man turned and continued to walk, although he didn't argue. He would be lying if he said he hadn't noticed a few changes in the Uchiha's behavior over the past few days, although he couldn't place what the reason behind it could be. Itachi had become more withdrawn it seemed, but his expression changed ever so slightly when he became deep in thought. It wasn't even the usual expression, either-it was one more of amusement and contentment, which was something the shark-like man had never seen on the man's face.

It was almost as if Itachi had a girlfriend or something, which was absolutely preposterous considering the Uchiha was a member of the Akatsuki and had no time for such things. Kisame shook the thought from his head. He was being silly.

Itachi, on the other hand, had slipped back into his thoughts, albeit while paying a bit more attention to where he was going. His thoughts drifted to a certain female he would be visiting later on in the evening, and couldn't help but feel almost giddy about getting to go. He felt like a teenager again, which seemed a little redundant to him considering everything he'd _actually_ done when he was a teenager. But, having seen the other teenagers around the village being interested in girls and such, he figured this was what it was like. He hadn't had time for such trivial things.

Of course, maybe fate was just deciding to be cruel to him now.

He pushed the thought aside, refusing to allow those kinds of thoughts to creep into his head. He was very well aware that he was putting himself in a lot of danger by continuing to visit his Shizuka Girl, but at the same time, everything he did was putting himself in danger, so he could at least do something he _enjoyed_ doing once in a while, whether it would end up being brief or not.

He was looking forward to this evening, and for once, he allowed the eagerness.

* * *

Hinata stared at all of the clothes in her hands that she had been more or less forced to buy. Honestly, she wasn't sure what had been wrong with her usual outfit, but Ino had told her she needed to 'girly up' if she intended to grab and keep a guy, which Hinata wasn't sure how to take. She had always been girly, hadn't she? She took baths and brushed her hair. Sure, she didn't wear a ton of makeup like some of the other girls, but she didn't find it necessary. Plus, it was bad for her skin. She remembered one of the maids telling her that when she was younger and wanted to play with the stuff.

So, setting the clothing back onto her bed, she sighed. She didn't really _want_ to wear anything like Ino had picked out. She was thankful that the woman had at least not picked out anything too revealing, but she still didn't quite have the same taste as the shy girl.

Hinata turned, gathering up a robe and some undergarments so she could go take a shower, and she decided she'd figure out what she wanted to do while she was in the shower. She had a feeling, though, that she'd end up just going in her normal clothing.

* * *

For the first time in a very long time, Itachi was nervous. He had wondered a few times after he'd arrived back at home if he was doing the right thing, but somewhere deep down he genuinely felt as though he was. He pulled on his shirt, ignoring the awkward feel of the material rubbing against his partially-wet self. He really needed to work on his habit of not drying off fully after a shower.

Still, he had a plan for how he was going to do this tonight, and he was hoping all would go well. He gathered up the items he'd bought when Kisame wasn't paying attention, and then slipped through the lair as quietly as possible before escaping outside and heading towards his new favorite spot to set up.

* * *

Hinata quietly made her way out of the Hyuuga Compound, strapping her pack onto her back as she began to head towards her destination. As she passed the guards, she offered them a kind smile, although they didn't question her as per usual. Hinata was thankful, yet again, that no one in the village ever perceived her as any sort of threat.

She began to swiftly make her way to her usual destination, but as she got closer, she started to get a little worried. They were supposed to meet further out in the forest, but how exactly was she supposed to find where her Nazo-kun was?

The thoughts stopped, however, as she began to notice a light a little distance ahead of her. She raised an eyebrow and drew closer, a light blush spreading across her face as she realized what was making the light.

There was a small candle lit next to the koi pond.

Not just one candle, she quickly realized, but a line of candles, and they were leading into the forest. She smiled softly, trying to ignore the little voice in her head that was telling her that this was kind of romantic, and that no one had ever done something so sweet for her before. She didn't want to get her hopes up that high.

She followed the trail of candles, noticing that each one went out after she'd passed it. She smiled to herself, admiring the brilliance of her Nazo-kun for thinking of such trivial things.

It wasn't too long before she came upon a clearing that had a small fire lit in the middle of it, and she couldn't help but feel a little excited. She observed the surrounding area, trying to inconspicuously search out her Nazo-kun since he wasn't in the direct light of the fire. It wasn't long before she spotted an oddly placed shadow on the outskirt of the fire's light.

"H-hi," she said softly, allowing another smile to grace her lips as she drew closer to the fire. The shadow shifted, stepping a little closer to the fire, but only close enough to see an outline.

"Hello, Shizuka Girl."

"T-thank you for the candles. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to f-find where you had set up the fire," Hinata said kindly, pulling the pack off of her back. "I-I brought some rice balls for us."

Itachi smiled, making his way over towards the girl, stopping a few feet away. He could feel a bit of nervousness resonating off of her, but he couldn't blame her—he was still a little nervous himself. "You're welcome, and that sounds wonderful. Would you like to sit closer to the fire? I brought a blanket we could sit on if you'd like."

Hinata nodded, and then realized he probably couldn't see her. "Y-yes, that would be nice," she said, her heart beginning to speed up some. This was it! In a matter of moments, she would finally be able to fully look at her Nazo-kun and see if he matched what she had pictured him to appear as.

Itachi nodded, before turning and heading back to where he'd previously been sitting. He picked up the blanket he'd grabbed and made his way over to the fire, happy to see that she was walking closer to it, too.

Then, he actually got a look at her, and he was pretty sure his heart stopped.

For some reason, when he'd gotten _glimpses_ of what she looked like before, they hadn't done her justice. At all. Her midnight blue hair shone brilliantly against the colors lighting it from the fire, and she was prettier than he could have ever imagined. She wore a large jacket, but he could still see the lithe body beneath it, and couldn't help but admire her. She walked with such grace, that of almost nobility, it seemed. As she heard him get closer she turned to look at him, and her pearly eyes connected with his—and in that moment he realized she was beautiful, and that if she was scared of him, a Hyuuga would be a very bad opponent to be dealing with right now with such distracting appearances.

Hinata turned her head to see if her Nazo-kun was coming over or not, because for a moment she wasn't sure if she was supposed to have followed him or not. However, she couldn't help but feel a little flustered when she caught him actually _looking _at her, with almost a dumbstruck look on his face. Then, she realized something very, _very_ important.

Not only was her Nazo-kun _very_ good looking, he also appeared to be very familiar to her. She could have sworn she recognized him, and she pondered on it for a moment before realizing that he looked very similar to Sasuke Uchiha, and that he did appear very similar to the Uchiha family. Of course, that was absurd, because the only other Uchiha in existence was . . .

Itachi Uchiha.

Hinata felt a large lump form in her throat as she began to remember the image in the bingo book of the infamous clan-murderer, and the more she stared at her _Nazo-kun_, the more he began to look like the man. Finally, she couldn't argue it anymore and realized that, yes, he _was_ Itachi.

The question now was simple. What was she going to do?

She stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed and shocked, and unsure of the answer she knew should have been immediate. Itachi Uchiha was an enemy of Konohagakure, and was therefore an enemy of her. Yet, for some reason, she couldn't find it in herself to want to hurt him. He had been so kind to her over the past few nights.

"Are you okay?"

Hinata jumped a little at the sound of his voice, and she could see the slight, almost unnoticeable furrow of his brow. She forced herself to calm down a little bit, not wanting to cause too much tension considering he hadn't tried to attack her. Her own brow furrowed a little bit at the thought. Why _hadn't_ he tried to attack her?

Itachi sighed a little bit. As the moments passed slowly, he was beginning to regret his choice. "I see you've figured out who I am . . . I'll go. I have no intention of harming you as long as you don't attempt to attack me," he stated seriously, turning and starting to walk away.

"W-wait!"

Itachi froze, having not expected to hear her speak at all. In all honesty, he'd expected a kunai, or an air palm, or _something_ to go flying at his back. He turned slowly, eyeing the woman cautiously. "Yes?"

Hinata paused for a moment, sizing the man up, before taking a deep breath. She reached out a shaky hand, pointing down at the pack she had set on the ground near the fire. "I, um . . . I can't eat both r-rice balls on my own."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the woman, and he couldn't help smirk a little bit at the roundabout way the woman was asking him to stay. He looked down at the pack. "Well, we certainly wouldn't want those to go to waste, now would we?"

As Hinata shook her head, Itachi walked over to her slowly and cautiously, unfolding the blanket and spreading it out on the ground. Hinata waited patiently for him to finish before stepping onto the blanket, unpacking the food and reaching out towards Itachi, a perfectly made rice ball sitting in her palm. "H-here you go."

"Thank you," he said softly, accepting it and waiting for her to gather her own before he started to eat. He was surprised after the first bite, finding it to be extremely good compared to the rice balls he was used to eating. He allowed a small smile to form on his face. "This is good."

"T-thank you," Hinata said, a light tint of red dusting her cheeks. Itachi watched her curiously, not quite sure how to feel about her kindness. When he'd lived in Konohagakure, he'd never known the Hyuuga Clan to have anyone kind in their midst. After a few more bites of food, he decided to break the silence that was beginning to take over.

"May I ask you a question?"

Hinata's eyes shot up to meet his almost immediately, before quickly looking down again. "Y-yes?"

"What's your name? You don't have to answer, but considering you know mine, I was just curious." _Plus, if I have to, I can probably just look you up in the bingo book._

Hinata was a little surprised by the question, but after a moment she swallowed her bite of food and looked at him again. "Hinata. Hinata Hyuuga."

Itachi smiled a little bit again, nodding to her. _A place in the sun, huh? That suits her,_ he thought. "It's nice to officially meet you, Hinata. It's a little silly, but my name's Itachi, just so I've said it and not my reputation."

Hinata couldn't help but emit a timid smile of her own. "It's nice to m-meet you, too, Itachi-san."

"So, why aren't you trying to get rid of me?" he asked curiously, watching her with significant interest to see how she would respond. To his surprise, though, Hinata looked up at him directly and offered him something akin to a real smile.

"B-because I said before that a person's past shouldn't d-define who they are. T-therefore, if I immediately told you to go because of what you've done in the past, even t-though you've been really n-nice to me, I would be going back on what I said, and I won't go back on my word. It's my nindo," she said, her voice sounding more confident than she actually felt. True, he'd been really nice to her, but he _was_ a member of the Akatsuki. Still, he hadn't tried to hurt her. She felt torn.

"That's quite a thing to live up to," Itachi stated thoughtfully. "But I appreciate it. I promise you I'm not here as a threat to the village or to you. I just . . . Sometimes I miss it here."

Hinata looked at him, a little bit surprised at what almost sounded like remorse in the man's voice. She wanted to question him about it, but she felt as though, at least for now, he didn't want to be pushed further on the matter.

They ate in silence for a little while longer, finishing their meals off fairly quickly during the quiet. Both were lost in their own thoughts. Itachi was pondering the puzzling woman who sat before him, unlike any woman he'd ever met in his life. Hinata was questioning everything she'd ever been taught about criminals, because criminals certainly did not behave like this.

Finally, though, Itachi decided to break the silence—which he found himself doing quite a bit, it seemed, which was unusual for the usually stoic Uchiha.

"The stars are pretty this evening. I noticed them on my way here. Would you like to sit a further away from the fire and look at them with me?"

Hinata looked at him curiously for a moment, before nodding and climbing to her feet. Itachi did the same, picking the blanket up off of the ground as he did so. He did a hand seal to make the fire dim a little bit before he walked away from it, laying the blanket down a patch of grass. He motioned for Hinata to sit and once she had, he sat beside her. He stretched for a moment, before laying back on the blanket and staring up at the stars, admiring how brightly they were shining in the sky.

Hinata was surprised when Itachi suddenly laid down, although she remained seated as she looked up at the sky. It wasn't long before the angle she was holding her head at became uncomfortable, though, and she found that the idea of laying down was becoming more and more appealing.

Finally, Hinata gave in and rested her head on the blanket, not quite sure how she felt about the proximity of the man next to her. She could feel his body heat radiating off of him, and she was dangerously aware of how close her hand was to his. After a few minutes of distracted star gazing on her part, Hinata began to relax, beginning to just enjoy the sight of the dancing lights above them.

"Thank you for not running away from me," Itachi said softly, almost inaudibly, next to her. Hinata looked over at him in surprise at the sound of his voice. She almost jumped when she saw that he was looking at her, the light of the moon illuminating him some. She offered him a kind smile. "T-thank you for being so kind to me."

Itachi returned her smile, his as gently as hers, and nodded a little. "It's hard to be mean to someone who doesn't appear to have a mean bone in her body."

Hinata opened her mouth to speak, but paused as Itachi shifted.

And then he was kissing her.

* * *

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed chapter five! Let me know what you think, please!

Also, if you happen to want to re-read the end of the chapter, I do suggest maybe listening to Jesse McCartney's "Why Don't You Kiss Her?". It was playing when I wrote it, haha.

And questions, thoughts, suggestions, or CC, please leave in a review! :) As long as it won't spoil anything, I'll answer! ;)

Thanks!

Shebby


	6. Change of Plans

A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry this is so late, I really tried to update it sooner but a lot of crazy things have happened recently so I've been kind of behind. Fear not, though, this story is not dead and I have plans for the future!

It's almost funny, though, because a recurring theme for this story and me is that I have yet again broken up with a boyfriend while writing this (well, okay, not writing it at the time I was breaking up with them, granted), which is a little strange. Not to mention that, yet again (again), I have another boyfriend. But this one probably won't steal a grand from me like the last one did, haha. Man, I have some bad luck with guys!

Anyway, sorry if this chapter is a little short, it's like six in the morning and I haven't been to sleep yet, but I really wanted to upload something for you guys! I hope you enjoy it! Please review, it gives me more motivation to continue the story! You'd be surprised!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

A million and one thoughts flew through Hinata's head all at once, but somehow only one seemed to make any sense; Itachi Uchiha's lips were connected with hers right then. She felt her face beginning to heat up, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away. The kiss felt _nice_—or at least, she thought it did, she'd never kissed anyone before, so she wasn't sure what to make of it.

Unsure of what else to do, the Hyuuga leaned forward a little, returning the kiss. A small voice in the back of her head tried to break off her actions, telling her that this was _wrong_, and that Itachi was a wanted criminal and she was supposed to be turning him in right now, certainly not _kissing_ him! However, the rest of her being told her that this was _nice_, and no, she did not want to stop kissing the Uchiha.

Itachi, on the other hand, was beyond shocked when he felt Hinata kiss him back. Sure, he wasn't entirely sure why he'd kissed her to begin with, knowing full well that he could just scare her away for good, but something within him had told him to go for it because for the first time in a long time, he found someone who wasn't absolutely terrified of him and who he enjoyed the company of. Plus, she was an excellent kisser, although she didn't quite seem to be very experienced in it, judging by her stiff reactions.

They kissed for another few stretched moments before Itachi slowly pulled away, albeit having to use a _lot_ of self control in order to do so. He took a deep breath, although he couldn't help but smirk a little as he realized that the Hyuuga's breathing had become a little more rapid.

Hinata was disappointed when she felt the man pull away, although found herself unable to look him in the eye to find out why he'd moved. She felt as though her face was on fire, closing her eyes as she tried to focus her jumbled thoughts.

What had she just done?

Itachi watched the girl cautiously, unsure of how he should take her current behavior. She wasn't looking at him, and her eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He frowned a little. Had he just messed up terribly? He sighed softly.

"Hinata, I'm sorry . . . I shouldn't have done that, and I apologize. I was foolish."

Hinata's eyes flew open and she was looking at the Uchiha before she could control herself. "N-no!" she said quickly, then immediately regretted her brash speaking. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I-I mean, I didn't mind . . . Um, you don't have to apologize, I just . . . I just didn't expect it is all. Besides, I . . . I . . ."

She what? She _enjoyed _it? Would she be betraying Konoha if she told him that she had? Caught in her words, she found herself unable to finish her sentence.

As if being able to sense her hesitation, Itachi merely smiled softly. "I understand," he said kindly. "I didn't mean to frighten you if I did, though."

Hinata smiled shyly. "You d-didn't . . ."

Itachi nodded, before lying back on the ground. He scooted a little closer to her, sighing softly. He couldn't believe how comfortable he was around this girl. He knew deep down that she was dangerous for him. There was always the chance that, as a criminal, one would be caught eventually and killed. For him, choosing to stay near a member of the village that wanted him dead the most, he was in even more danger.

Yet, he couldn't make himself stay away from her. Something about her made him want to be close to her, and he had no idea what it was that made him feel that way.

Another hour or so passed by, with Hinata ending up with her head rested on Itachi's shoulder and slumbering softly as the latter enjoyed her silent company and the stars above. He glanced down at her with a smile, before deciding that it was about time that he headed back towards the Akatsuki base.

Reaching over, he softly shook the girl awake. She woke slowly, looking at him with mild confusion as she tried to recall where she was. After a moment, she pulled her head away from him with a blush and emitted a quiet yawn. "S-sorry for falling asleep on you . . ."

"It's all right. I wouldn't have woken you but it's drawing closer to dawn and I figured you might need to get back as well. I need to," he said honestly. She nodded, sighing a little. "That makes sense."

Itachi climbed to his feet, extending a hand to the girl and helping her up. They stood awkwardly for a moment, neither quite sure what to do. Itachi wanted nothing more at the moment than to kiss her again, but decided against it so as not to frighten the poor girl away. He definitely didn't want to push his luck.

"Well, I suppose we could meet here again tomorrow?" he asked curiously, looking at her. The Hyuuga offered him a light smile. "S-sure."

He nodded before turning, starting to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, then, Hinata."

"You, too, Itachi-san," she said, watching him as he left. She turned once he'd leapt into the trees, although she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that he hadn't kissed her again. It was almost as though he was going to, but something had made him stop.

_No, I'm probably just thinking too much into it . . . _she thought as she headed back, smiling at the sight of where the candles had been as she neared their meeting spot. She figured Itachi had set it up so the candles would disappear after a certain amount of time, and had to admire him for it. He certainly was a brilliant man.

_And handsome, _her mind added. She felt a light blush dust her cheeks as she entered the village, heading towards the compound. _I can't be having thoughts like that! Even if they're true . . ._

Stopping her train of thought, she quickly focused on trying to get back home to sleep. She was more tired than she had realized and she could definitely use the sleep.

* * *

Hinata awoke the next morning to a light banging on her door. She groaned a little, opening her eyes groggily. She got out of bed, her eyes widening as she realized she'd fallen asleep in the clothes she'd gone out in the night before. She prayed the person wouldn't notice as she made her way to the door. She opened it, smiling a little as she saw Neji on the other side. "Niisan, hello."

Neji looked at her curiously. "Hello, Hinata-sama. Were you asleep? Are you aware of the time?"

Hinata's brow furrowed. "I, um, had some difficulty sleeping last n-night."

Neji raised a brow but didn't push the matter. "Ah, well, I was sent to inform you that the Hokage wishes for you to come to her office."

Hinata nodded to him, a little disappointed that she wouldn't be able to return to the comfort of her bed. "Thank you. I'll get r-ready and head there immediately, then."

Neji offered her a grunt before turning and heading off, apparently having other things to do as well. Hinata was relieved to see that his physical state was better off than it had been before. She turned, sighing as she went to get dressed to see the Hokage. Quickly changing into her normal uniform, she left her room, heading towards the large structure that held the head of the village inside, not noticing the odd look her cousin sent her as she passed him leaving the gates of the compound.

Neji's eyes narrowed some as her figure disappeared down the path leading to their home, his mind contemplative. Hinata certainly did seem in better spirits lately, and she happened to be sleeping in later and later. He hadn't noticed anything too suspicious, but she was definitely acting different and he didn't know how to feel about it.

And he could have sworn he'd seen a leaf in her hair when she'd greeted him at her door earlier, but perhaps he was seeing things, considering she'd been sleeping.

Right?

Itachi had gotten minimal sleep throughout the night, having gone over every detail in his mind of what had gone on during his time with Hinata. Especially the part where he'd kissed her. How could he have been so thoughtless? It wasn't like him to do something without actually giving it too much thought, so he wasn't sure why she had brought out such an unusual side of him. He sighed, turning to glance at his partner, who was lost in his own thoughts. It was an odd day when Kisame wasn't in a chatty mood, but Itachi wasn't particularly complaining. He could admit that it would provide a decent distraction if the shark-like man would speak, but he wouldn't strike up a conversation himself. He didn't want to start a trend of not behaving like himself, after all.

Kisame seemed to sense the man's attention, though, because he glanced at the Uchiha curiously. "What's up, Itachi-san?"

Itachi turned his focus back to the road ahead of them, shrugging a little as a drop of rain landed on his shoulder. "Just thoughtful."

"Oh?" Kisame asked curiously. "About?"

Itachi smirked a little behind the neck of his cloak. "Have you ever done anything that you would consider uncharacteristic of yourself?"

Now Kisame was _really_ interested in what the Uchiha had to say. It was a strange day when Itachi was in a chatty mood, and for him to initiate such a tasty subject had Kisame's interest piqued. "Hmm, I suppose. Why do you ask?"

Itachi hesitated for a moment, trying to decide the best way to ask his question without giving himself away. "Well, it's something I've been pondering. What causes people to behave in such a way?"

Kisame took a second to think about the question, debating the response. "I guess it all depends on the situation, you know? I mean, if it's a fighting situation and one behaves uncharacteristically, most of the time it's due to the opponent . . . I guess the same could be said for more personal relations, although let's be honest—being in the Akatsuki pretty much ruins that," he laughed, grinning in amusement at his own statement. "But I dunno, really. What makes you ask?"

"Just curious," Itachi stated honestly, while the rain began to pour a little harder. He sighed, putting his rice hat on. He had felt a little silly grabbing it before he left, considering the sky had been quite blue, but now he didn't regret it. Kisame, on the other hand, looked up at the cloud, sighing contentedly.

"I sense a fight coming on," he grinned heartily. "Soon."

Itachi sighed softly. He wished that he could say Kisame's words meant nothing, but usually when the man made such an enthusiastic statement, he was right. He hoped this day would go quickly—they just needed to scout, not fight—because he was looking forward to seeing Hinata, and her reaction to seeing him again. Would she still act the same around him?

* * *

Hinata couldn't help the small thrill that ran through her as she saw Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru all standing in Tsunade's office waiting on her. She hadn't seen them too often since they had all been busy helping rebuild, so any chance she got to see them she was happy.

"Yo, Hinata! About time ya got here," Kiba grinned, patting her on the shoulder once she'd walked over to them. Shino gave her a small grunt as a greeting, and she smiled at them both. Turning to the Hokage, she waited patiently to see what she wanted them for.

"Well, now that all of you are here," Tsunade said calmly, nodding to them greeting. "I'll go ahead and explain to you why you've been summoned. As you all know, the mission roster has been extremely limited due to rebuilding the village. Of course, now that the village has been rebuilt to where everyone has a place to live at least, I'm reopening the roster so that we can get more funds in to allow us to finish the rebuilding.

"One of the missions that we've recently received is one that will suit you all quite well. There's a small cargo route that runs between two small towns south of the Iwa border. According to the report, the past two trips taken back and forth have been raided. We aren't sure if they are shinobi or bandits, so it's a B-rank mission. It's tracking and combat, so I'm sending you three out. You'll be leaving in an hour, so go home and pack what you'll need for the mission. It's going to take a few days, so you should prepare for that."

The three shinobi nodded, before agreeing to meet at the gates and then departing to pack.

Hinata quickly made her way back to the compound, eager to finally be going on a mission. She grabbed enough clothes for a few days and turned to leave, only to pause as realization struck.

She wasn't going to be able to meet Itachi tonight.

She frowned, not liking the idea of leaving without saying goodbye, especially after she'd agreed to see him. She now cursed her luck at leaving in such a quick amount of time, making it impossible for her to be able to go leave a note or something for the Uchiha. She was just going to have to hope that he would realize she wouldn't avoid showing up without a reason. She was a shinobi of a village with missions to expect occasionally, after all, just like he had been. So, she realized, he should understand. She quickly left, making her way to the gate and allowing herself to feel excited once more. She met up with her team, smiling at them, before departing for Iwagakure.

* * *

Itachi jumped down into the clearing with ease, making his way to the gazebo casually. He was glad that the fight Kisame had anticipated had been nothing more than bandits, and although the shark-man had been disappointed in the fight, Itachi was more than happy to be back home by nightfall. He stretched a little, running a hand through his hair as he took a seat beneath the gazebo, listening to the light rain hitting the roof of it.

He wondered how the Hyuuga's day had gone, and if she'd thought about him or not. He would have to refrain from asking her, of course, but he was certainly allowed to wonder. He smiled lightly to himself, looking over in the direction that she usually came from. He tried not to feel too eager about her returning, but he realized it was harder than he thought it would be.

He settled in a little more as a half an hour or so passed without her arrival, and he figured she'd probably gotten caught up in the rain and it was taking her a little longer to come than usual. He entertained himself with the rain, watching it hit the koi pond as the fish swam below the water.

After another hour or so had passed the Uchiha began to worry about the Hyuuga some. He wished he was allowed to go to the village to see if she was okay, but knew it would be far too dangerous. He hoped she was all right, though, and forced himself to remain calm. She was a ninja and Konoha wasn't in any danger from the Akatsuki right now, he knew, so she could handle anything coming her way.

Once a few more hours passed, however, he felt his heart sink a little as realization dawned on him.

She wasn't coming.

* * *

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think!

Thanks!

Shebby


	7. The Mission

A/N: Hey guys, here's an update! Thank you all SO much for your reviews! They help to motivate me and they really do mean a lot to me! I read them all, even if I don't respond!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Hinata sighed with relief as she and her teammates were able to finally rest. Kiba sprawled himself out on the ground, taking in a deep breath. "_Bleh_. I hate how Iwagakure's surroundings smell."

Shino rested himself against a tree, shrugging. "That's quite unfortunate for you, considering we aren't even fully in their territory yet. We're just now reaching it, considering there are a few trees still around. Once we reach the rocky terrain, we're going to have to be very cautious."

"R-right," Hinata agreed. "We're here to help the smaller villages, but if we're caught by Iwa ninja, we're g-going to be in a lot of trouble."

Kiba grunted, before stopping and sitting up. "Wait . . . I have a question."

Shino turned to him silently, while Akamaru lifted his head curiously. Hinata's pearl orbs glanced at him, too. "Y-yes?"

"Why didn't they hire Iwa ninjas?"

"Maybe they were asking too much," Shino stated quietly. "Or perhaps they know that Konoha shinobi are more efficient."

Kiba laughed. "Well, duh. _Everyone_ knows that Konoha shinobi are the best of the best! I mean, c'mon! When you've got a clan as awesome as the Inuzuka clan, you can't go wrong!" he smirked, earning an agreeing bark from Akamaru.

Hinata smiled at the conversation as she began to set up camp, finding sticks that would work for firewood. Her thoughts shifted to a different subject, however, as she recalled just how far away they were from home. They had traveled all day and were tired, and they had a little while left to go before they could actually begin their mission. She really hoped that it would end soon, because she didn't like the fact that she wouldn't be able to meet up with Itachi.

Almost immediately after the thought processed itself, Hinata's face began to heat up. She couldn't believe that she, of all people, had actually _kissed_ an S-class criminal, and intended to see him again despite the dangers of it. It was so unlike her, especially considering her demeanor, and the fact that she'd never done anything like this before. Still, she was excited about it, and she couldn't deny it at all. Just the thought of the man, and their intimate moment, made her heart flutter in a way she'd never felt before.

"Hey, Hinata, you okay? Your face is flushed. You didn't exert yourself, did you?" Kiba asked, staring at her cautiously from where he stood, helping set up camp. Hinata's face turned a few shades darker and she quickly smiled at her teammate awkwardly. "N-no! I'm okay. I-I just need something to drink and I'll b-be okay is all. Just tired."

Shino raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses, but didn't comment as Kiba shrugged, seemingly satisfied with her answer. The former returned to opening his sleeping bag, aware of the fact that the Hyuuga had seemed quite cheerful, despite the fact that it hadn't been too long since she'd gotten out of the hospital in tears due to a certain Uzumaki. He sat on the sleeping bag, curious as to what could have caused such a drastic change in the shy woman.

* * *

Itachi awoke the next day in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Konan walking upstairs, albeit faintly, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the woman. It was no secret in the Akatsuki base that she and Pein had been a couple, but she was still currently acting as though he was around. Itachi wasn't sure if it was because she didn't know if she'd be able to run the Akatsuki on her own without using Pein as a crutch, or if it was a coping mechanism for her, but he did know that it was odd when she said 'we' instead of 'I' now.

Not that it particularly mattered, though. He was a little more worried about the fact that Hinata hadn't shown up to their meeting place the night before like she usually did. Yes, he was upset that she hadn't come—had he scared her away?—but he was more worried about whether she was actually okay or not. Had something happened to her? He frowned. He certainly hoped not.

Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to make the blurriness go away. This had become a morning ritual of sorts, regardless of the fact that it didn't work at all. He gathered his thoughts and got himself dressed before wandering further into the base, looking for something to eat. He didn't expect to see Zetsu, however, who was seated at the table. The plant-like man glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"_Hm, how fortunate for you, Itachi-san. You just missed Tobi._"

"Not that you particularly care, I suppose," the plant man's white half added to the darker side's comment. Itachi made his way to the refrigerator, opening it to peruse the items inside. "I see. Thank you for the information."

Itachi never did particularly like the plant-like shinobi, but was usually cordial to him regardless. He wasn't really fond of the rather unusual things that came out of his mouth. He wasn't looking forward to having a conversation with him, however, and was sure that it was going to end up just as weird as every other one had been.

"Ah, Itachi-san," Kisame said from the doorway, leering into the kitchen. "I was going to go to town and get a few more supplies. Want to come?"

Itachi looked over at him, offering him a nod. He gave Zetsu a parting statement before following Kisame out of the base, thankful for the opportunity to get away.

"How long were you stuck there with Zetsu?" Kisame asked passively.

"Not very," Itachi replied calmly. "I appreciate you inviting me along, though."

"No problem. I really just want to stop and get some food, but I _do_ need some weapon supplies," Kisame muttered. "I can't wait until we get a _real_ mission again. I'm so bored hanging out around here."

Itachi remained silent, allowing the man to ramble on. The Uchiha let his mind wander, although unsurprisingly it ended up focused back on the Hyuuga he hadn't gotten to meet with the night before. He sighed quietly to himself. However, Kisame's comment had caught his attention. Maybe she had been called off to go on a mission? That wouldn't surprise him, although if it was the case it was a little surprising that the Hokage was allowing missions already during the reconstruction of the village.

Yeah, that was probably what had happened. He decided that he would go back to the meeting place tonight, just in case she _had_ been sent on a mission and would be returning.

"Itachi-san, hurry up. We're close to food," Kisame stated, his stomach releasing an audible growl. Itachi sighed, walking a little faster. He _was_ hungry.

* * *

Hinata woke up the next morning to her face being covered in Akamaru's slobber. She pulled away quickly, grumbling a bit and wiping her face off with her sleeve. That had been one habit Kiba hadn't been able to break the dog of, but it wasn't too bad, just messy. She sighed, petting him on the head before standing up and looking around. The camp wasn't any different than it had been before they'd fallen asleep, except that the fire had gone out. She figured Kiba or Shino had woken up and extinguished it at some point before morning, considering it was no longer smoking.

Shino was already awake, gathering his things for the rest of their journey. He glanced over in her direction, offering her a nod of acknowledgment. She returned with a greeting before turning and gathering her own things, knowing that the insect using shinobi would most likely take care of waking Kiba.

"Ah! Damn it, Shino, your bugs are all over m—gah!" Kiba snapped, flinging his sleeping bag open and jumping up, wiping the bugs off of him. Hinata smiled softly to herself. To an outsider, it would appear that Kiba was smashing Shino's bugs, but she knew that despite his rapid movements, the dog-shinobi was using special care with them. The thought made her miss the older days, when they were always going on missions together. Nowadays it wasn't as frequent, so she cherished the time she got to spend with them.

She shoved her sleeping bag into her pack, allowing her mind to drift to Itachi. She wondered if he had come back last night, and if he had come to meet her or not. She sighed, hoping he hadn't been offended by her lack of appearance. It wasn't like she didn't _want_ to go, or anything. She simply—

"Hey, Hinata! You ready to head out?" Kiba asked, snapping Hinata out of her train of thought. She smiled awkwardly and nodded, walking over to them. "Y-yes."

Shino nodded to them both before they began to dash to their next location.

It was close to noon by the time Hinata and the others arrived at the town they were supposed to be at. Once they had met up with the man that was supposed to further instruct their mission, they received the information they would need to complete their mission.

Hinata was relieved that it wouldn't take too much, but she was hoping it wouldn't take a lot of time. All that they would need to do was take the same trail that the cargo-carriers took, carrying a fake-cargo shipment, and wait to be attacked. According to the man, it was usually evening that they were attacked, which meant that they had come at the right time. If they left now, they would be making perfect timing to line up with an attack.

So, after getting the fake-cargo shipment that had been prepared prior, the ninja team began their trek, all hoping for a quick battle with bandits, and not shinobi.

Itachi sighed softly as he landed in the clearing, making his way toward the koi pond. He had a feeling that, again, the Hyuuga wouldn't be coming. He wasn't sure what brought this on, but he didn't believe that he was wrong. So, he took the piece of bread he had stashed in his cloak and broke it up, feeding the koi with it so that they had something to eat. He smiled a little, remembering the second night that he and Hinata and met up, she had fed the fish as well.

He stretched, deciding that he was going to allow himself to relax here regardless of whether or not Hinata would come today. He couldn't help but hope that she would come, though, because he really did enjoy her company.

* * *

Hinata's eyes scanned the surrounding area, Byakugan blaring as she waited to see if they were going to be ambushed or not. So far, despite the hours that they had been travelling, she hadn't caught sight of anything unusual. She was beginning to get a headache, however, and had to resort to shutting off her kekkei genkai every so often in order to ward it off a little better. She sighed, growing very tired of waiting to be attacked. It wasn't something she particularly liked anticipating, and after going for so long without missions, this was becoming rather difficult on her nerves.

Kiba groaned audibly. "Man, this sucks!" he hissed for the fourth time since they'd left. Shino remained silent, but Hinata had known him long enough to know that he was just as irritated as they were. Hinata prayed that they would be done soon. After just one night out she was missing the comfort of her own bed, and her nightly walks.

The team walked in silence again for about an hour, as the evening hours slowly closed in on early morning hours. Hinata frowned. Surely no one had leaked information about them out?

"I am so _bored_," Kiba muttered, running a hand through his hair. "All this walking around pulling this cargo shipment is getting on my nerves, and I'm tired."

"Oh? Then please, allow _us_ to take care of that cargo for you," a voice stated from behind them. Hinata's eyes widened, her Byakugan activating immediately. She spotted a shinobi directly behind the cargo shipment, but he appeared to be alone. Even at a mile away, he had no backup. What kind of person came out on their own for a raid?

Spinning around, she glared at the foreign person, her eyes widening as she saw the Iwagakure symbol emblazoned on his forehead protector. She frowned.

"Man, really? Just one of you?" Kiba asked, raising a brow as he watched the ninja carefully, curious to see if he was a talker or a fighter.

"Don't be so sure," another voice said haughtily, and Hinata spun around again, eyes landing on a figure in front of their shipment. She was confused. She _knew_ she hadn't seen him!

When her Byakugan picked up on another shinobi to their left all of a sudden, she felt her heart sink in dread.

"K-Kiba! Shino! They have chakra suppressing jutsu!"

Shino and Kiba turned to look at her, and Hinata paled immediately as she came to a realization as her Byakugan continued to scan the area for more ninja.

They were outnumbered and surrounded.

* * *

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! Feel free to ask any questions, and as long as they don't spoil the story I will answer. :)

And to clear up any confusion there might have been, the beginning part with Hinata was still the same day that she got the mission briefing.

Thank you!

Shebby


	8. Rat in the Underbrush

A/N:

Hey guys, it's me again! I'm trying to be better about updating in a more timely fashion! I really want you guys to know how much I truly appreciate your reviews, especially from you guys who have reviewed more than once. It really means a lot to me, and it really does help to determine how fast this gets updated! The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write!

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters.

* * *

Hinata took a deep, shaky breath as she tried to steady her nerves long enough to come up with a plan. There were at least twenty shinobi surrounding them, and it was certainly no time to be panicking. Still, it didn't stop the steady pounding of her heart as she steadied herself for the battle they were facing.

"So, are you idiots the guys who are stealing all of the cargo on this route?" Kiba growled, glaring around at the ninjas. Akamaru growled next to him, sizing up their opponents.

"I don't think that information is relevant to you," the first shinobi spoke up, settling into an offensive stance. "You'll be dead before it's useful to you."

Hinata's Byakugan blared as she slid into her own Jyuuken stance. She couldn't tell which of these shinobi were the strongest, but she certainly wasn't looking forward to fighting any of them. "J-just tell us the information," she stated, trying to sound as confident as possible.

The lead shinobi smirked. "Aww, how cute. The little girl is trying to be brave for her pathetic friends! She's _mine_."

Before anyone could get another word in edgewise, two of the shinobi seemed to take silent orders and lunged at Kiba and Shino, starting the chaotic mess that they had come for.

Hinata didn't have time to give either of them a heads up as a barrage of kunai-shaped rocks flew straight at her. She narrowed her eyes, focusing hard enough on the weapons to dodge them, spinning as she did so to avoid a kick from the shinobi who had assaulted her. She took a deep breath, pulling back her arm and slamming it towards his chest, charging her chakra into her hand to attempt a fatal blow.

She immediately noticed the chakra flow change in the figure and silently cursed herself for not paying more attention. Rocks crumbled before her as she turned again, forcing herself to focus despite her exhaustion. She quickly dodged the punch that had been aimed for the back of her head and jumped back, feeling chakra course through her hands and feet as she flew at her opponent, her gracefulness betraying none of the lethalness of her attack.

The Iwa ninja smirked, dodging her first punch and aiming a kick at her. She stepped in, spinning in time to avoid the blow and instead shoved her hand forward, using her momentum to collide her open palm with his sternum. He coughed, stumbling back as she pulled away from him, sliding into her gentle-fist stance again. He glared at her. "How dare you!" he spat, a bit of blood escaping from the side of his mouth. He did a quick array of handseals as the ground began to quiver.

"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon!" he screeched. Hinata quickly jumped back, attempting to gain some distance as a huge dragon broke free of the ground, it's hollow eyes blaring as it bolted towards her, rock-formed fangs aiming for her. She leaped to the side, ducking as she did so as the dragon roared over her head. She tried to roll out of the way, but the tail of the dragon slammed down onto her back as she did so and she gasped in pain. Her face collided with the ground and she felt pain spasm through her back, but she knew she couldn't stay down long.

Forcing herself to get onto her feet, she turned back to her opponent, who was riding along some rocks he'd taken control of towards her. Taking a deep breath, Hinata felt the pain wearing her down. Narrowing her eyes, she focused her chakra into her hands and feet again, deciding she was going to have to try to end this with one blow. She waited until he was close enough and dug her heel into the ground, steadying herself, before silently praying this would work.

"Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists!"

* * *

Itachi arrived back at the base earlier than he had originally intended, although it was mostly due to the rain that had started. Normally rain wouldn't faze him, but the lightning that was brightening the sky had him on edge, worried that a passerby might see him if they happened to be out and about. He sighed, rubbing his eyes as he entered his room, feeling his usual headache beginning. Nights like these were the ones that he particularly enjoyed meeting Hinata; she usually helped to distract him from his headaches.

At the thought of the Hyuuga, he frowned, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. He wasn't quite sure what it meant, but he was pretty sure it wasn't good. He hoped that she was okay, wherever she was.

Lying down on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, allowing his mind to focus on the pattering against his window. He was close to drifting off when a light rap began on his door. He sat up, looking at it cautiously. "Yes?"

Kisame opened it slowly, nodding to his partner. "Itachi-san."

"What is it?" Itachi asked, trying not to sound too irritated with his partner. He didn't like it when he was disturbed at night—especially when he could have still been out.

"We have an assignment," Kisame replied evenly, although he knew very well not to toy with his teammate at such an hour. "We are to leave within the next half an hour."

Itachi nodded. "I'll meet you at the door, then."

Kisame closed the door after affirming, leaving to get ready.

* * *

Hinata was breathing heavily, her hands sore against the rough, gravelly feel of the ground below her. She was in a crater, trying to piece together the happenings of the last few moments of her fight. All she knew at the moment was that she was on the ground, and her opponent was laying on the ground in front of her, his skin charred from direct contact with chakra, and blood surrounding his mouth. There were no open wounds, but Hinata easily recognized the damage from her attack, knowing that that had been what killed him—the thing was, she didn't know why her head was pounding twice as hard as it was, and why her leg was searing with pain.

"Hinata!" Kiba shouted, leaping down to join her in the crater she was in. She slowly looked up at him, wincing as something went into her eye, forcing her to close it. She wiped it with her sleeve, frowning as she realized that it was blood. _Her blood?_

"Hinata, are you okay?" Kiba asked, crouching in front of her. She could tell that he'd had a rough fight, too. Part of his clothing was torn and he seemed just as tired as she felt. "You took the brunt of that weird earth move."

Hinata's brow furrowed. "I-I don't know what happened . . . E-everything hurts."

"It was an odd attack," Shino frowned. He'd moved to the edge of the crater. "It made the ground fall underneath. We heard you shriek at the same time as he screamed. It didn't look like anything fell from above, but it definitely seems like something hit you."

Kiba leaned down to help her up, and she accepted willingly. She favored her left leg, glancing down at it. Her pants leg was completely obliterated, although she was in too much pain right now for her modesty to take over. She could see scratch marks and what almost looked like small puncture marks all over it. She looked at the rest of her attire, uncomfortable with the amount of blood that was on her—unsure if it was all the enemy's or if some of it was her own. She looked at her canine-like teammate. "What about the other n-ninja?"

"We took care of them," Kiba grinned. "You got the leader, so we ended up fighting the worthless peons who worked under him. While there were a lot of them, they weren't anything compared to us!"

"Just tedious to deal with," Shino added quietly, his own attire a little battered. "We should get back to the town. Dawn is approaching and we're going to need to take care of your leg, Hinata."

Hinata nodded, making her way carefully with Kiba to get out of the crater. They took a moment for Hinata to heal her leg enough to be able to walk—her healing jutsu was still nowhere near as strong as Ino's or Sakura's—before heading off towards the town to deliver the good news.

* * *

They had been travelling for about two hours before either shinobi spoke, and Itachi was fine with that, until the curiosity about their mission finally got to him. He turned to his partner, opting that whatever information he had about it was better than none. "What is our mission?"

Kisame grinned. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that, Itachi-san. It won't be difficult, it's just an informant in the Land of Earth that we need to dispose of. Apparently since war looms on the horizon, he's starting to second guess his decision to work for us, and Konan-sama doesn't want to risk it."

Itachi nodded, turning his focus back to the path ahead. It would take them about a day's worth of travel to make it to their destination, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that if Hinata _did_ go to their meeting place, she would meet with an empty clearing. He hoped she wouldn't be too upset if she did go.

Well, that was partially a lie—he hoped she would be disappointed that he didn't show, he just didn't want her upset with him.

Pushing the thought aside, he focused more intently on the mission ahead. Kisame had begun to pick up speed, and so he did the same. Apparently the shark-like man wanted to get the mission out of the way, too.

* * *

They arrived back in town by mid-morning and Hinata couldn't have been happier about it. The prospect of changing into clean clothing and doctoring her wound more carefully was a welcome one. After meeting with the commissioner of their mission and explaining what had happened, they were each offered a room to stay in and medical supplies to help them. Hinata was quick to depart from her teammates once they had made it to the hotel, eager to clean herself up.

After a nice, hot shower and a doctoring session with her leg (which was now quite bruised), she changed into a navy t-shirt and some capris. She crawled into the bed, eager to get some sleep after such a rough evening.

* * *

It was early the next morning by the time that Hinata and her teammates had departed from the town. By two in the afternoon, Hinata was looking forward to being back in the Land of Fire, where the climate wasn't nearly as dry and didn't make her skin feel like it was cracking.

"Man, I can't wait to sleep in my own bed!" Kiba grinned. "I'm tellin' ya, those hotels were nice and all, but it sure doesn't compare to home sweet home!"

Hinata giggled. "I agree."

Shino remained silent, although Hinata could tell that he was eager as well. Hinata was also excited about getting to meet Itachi—she hoped he wasn't too upset about her not showing up—although that part she kept to herself.

She snapped out of her thoughts just in time to avoid running into Kiba. She looked at him curiously and he flashed her a smile. "Hey, uh, how about we take a ten and rest? It'll be good for us . . ."

Hinata nodded, glancing at Shino, who didn't protest. Kiba didn't hesitate once they'd agreed and dashed off towards the trees, Akamaru trailing him. Hinata smiled. She knew better—Kiba just had to relieve himself. She turned to Shino, who had seated himself on the ground. "U-um, I'm going to look around for a bit, o-okay? T-there are some herbs n-native to here that I may be able to find," she stated. Shino nodded.

"Okay, just don't go too far. Stay within shouting distance."

Hinata smiled before turning and heading off towards a more wooded area. They were finally close enough to the Iwa border to have run into greenery, and it was the perfect place to find unusual herbs.

About five minutes into her walk, Hinata had come across a small patch of herbs she recognized and was in the process of picking them when she heard the sound of faint voices. She paused, trying to hear what was being said, but she was too far away.

She quietly began to slip in the direction of the voices, keeping low to the shrubbery and leaving her Byakugan off so as not to fluctuate her chakra in case they were Iwa trackers. What if those Iwa shinobi they had fought hadn't been rogue, after all?

She had finally gotten close enough to hear the tone of the voice that she could hear—for only one person seemed to be speaking now—and stopped. She peeked through the brush, trying to spot the owner of the gruff voice. She could tell that she was standing at the edge of a small rock ledge, and there was an unbeaten path below. A shadow passed below and she narrowed her eyes in focus as she tried to see what it was. She could see black and red, and . . . She froze. Was that a _blue_ person? As she processed the scene before her, she made out two figures in cloaks, a tall one and a short one, with the former being the blue person. She quickly backed up, realizing what she had just stumbled across. She had heard about Akatsuki members having partners, and although she was sure that the short one was Itachi, there was no telling what he would do if he was with his partner. Plus, what were they doing out here?

She backed up a little further, trying to quickly get away without being found, before slamming her back into something hard. Her heart skipped a beat and her voice caught in her throat as she looked up. She was met with a clouded cloak and a sharp-toothed grin.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't a little rat in the underbrush."

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A/N:

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please review and let me know what you think! I'm also curious as to what you guys think is gonna happen, so feel free to toss a theory around, haha. Again, reviews make for faster updates!

Thanks!

Shebby


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